The Naiad Trilogy: The Naiad and Her King
by SweetSunnyRose
Summary: Part 2: Ava is the fully realized Naiad Princess, but when she finds herself falling in love with her King what will she do? Will she follow her heart after Caspian and abandon her magic, or forever remain the Naiad Princess? Movie Verse. AU Caspian X/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: This is part two of a trilogy, so if you haven't read part one (The Naiad Within) I highly suggest that you do. Also, this is mostly movie based which means it has the whole green mist thing, but there will be a few parts that I might take from the book more.**

**For most of the story (i.e. the actual voyage) the ages of the characters are as follows:**

**Caspian: 21 **

**Ava: 19**

** Edmund: 15 **

**Lucy: 13 **

**Eustace: 12**

**You can find a link to the full character biographies on my profile. Biographies include a picture of the character, their ages, all their names, birthdays **(where applicable)** and other relevant information.  
><strong>

**As usual, I do not own Narnia or Caspian or anything else from the wonderful mind of C.S. Lewis or Walden Media and 20th Century Fox. Ava though, is completely mine. **

**Without further ado, here's part 2... Enjoy :D**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 1**

Ava knelt beside the injured Faun laying on one of the many cots in the tent. As she gently moved his blanket aside, the Faun stirred and his eyes fluttered open.

"Princess," he began to speak but stopped abruptly as he winced in pain.

"Shh, don't speak, Voltinus. Save your strength," Ava said gently. She went to remove the bandage covering his wound but he tried to stop her. "Please, allow me to help you." The Faun didn't protest further as Ava proceeded to clean his wound again and redress it.

It has been eighteen months since Ava learned she was the Naiad Princess and much has changed. A few days after the Pevensies left Narnia, Ava ventured to the river where she learned many things. She learned all the traditional dances that the Naiads participated in. She learned all about the history of Naiads and her parents. And she learned how to control and use her magic. One of the aspects of her magic was healing, and that in particular was of great use at the moment.

For a long while, Narnia had been at peace with the surrounding countries. But that all changed at the beginning of the summer when the Northern Giants became unruly. A few of them ventured into Narnia and began terrorizing its citizens. So King Caspian, after trying to deal with them peacefully and failing, had to wage war against them. Giants weren't the brightest of creatures, but they were strong and viciously violent. For this reason, Ava insisted upon being present at the Narnian campsite so that she may tend to the wounded.

By the time Ava finished redressing Voltinus' wound he had fallen back into a gentle sleep. Ava silently moved on to care for the next wounded soldier. As Ava continued to tend to the wounded, the weather began to change for the worse. It had been dreary all morning, but now it seemed the rain had finally moved in; Ava could hear the large drops pounding against the tent's canopy. Not that Ava minded the rain at all, but it always made the soldiers grumpy and volatile.

Ava was just about to tend to a Satyr when the tent opening was suddenly thrown aside and a young Telmarine soldier stepped inside. He looked around in a hurry for Ava and called out, "Princess," when he saw her. Ava briefly glanced at him before turning her attention back to the Satyr.

"I'll be with you in a moment, young Sir," she said.

"I'm afraid this can't wait, Princess," he said as he approached her.

"Sir, I am busy. I was just about to clean Selenius' wound."

The Telmarine soldier gently grabbed Ava's arm and whispered in her ear, "It's His Majesty; he's been wounded."

"Caspian," Ava whispered his name as she looked back to the Satyr.

"Go to him, Princess. I will be fine until you return," Selenius replied.

Ava nodded her head and quickly followed the young Telmarine out. He led her through the maze of tents in the campsite; the injured tent was kept far from the King's tent. All the way to Caspian, Ava's heart steadily increased its beating. She could not stop her mind from filling with worry. She knew Caspian. They had become great friends over the months. She knew he wouldn't send for her if it wasn't serious. Narnia was in no state to lose her King now.

At last Ava and the young soldier reached the tent of King Caspian X, and Ava quickly rushed inside. Caspian appeared surprised to see Ava, but not wounded, not at first; as Ava looked closely at Caspian's right arm she saw the sleeve drenched in blood. Caspian looked to Ava before turning his focus to the young Telmarine.

"Willet, I appreciate the gesture, but I did not send for the Princess. Next time, wait until you are instructed." Caspian spoke calmly, but Ava could hear the tension in his voice; he was obviously holding something, probably pain, back.

"Sire," Tavros, a Minotaur, stepped forward. "I sent Willet after the Princess. Do not be angry with him, for he was only following my orders."

"That's all very well, but…" Caspian winced and placed his left hand on the right side of his chest as pain shot through his arm.

"Caspian," Ava took a step towards him but he held up a hand to stop her.

"I am fine. It is a minor wound. I am sorry they worried you Ava. You may return to the Narnians in the tent."

"Caspian, don't be foolish. Your sleeve is soaked in blood. I can see it from here," Ava protested as she took a few more steps towards him.

"Your Majesty, it would be wise to let the Princess heal you, to keep up morale around the camp," one of Caspian's new Lords, Drinian, advised him. Caspian finally nodded his consent.

"I need a bowl of fresh, clean water and some bandaging cloths please," Ava said as she quickly closed the distance between her and Caspian to examine his wound. Tavros and the boy Willit left to fetch what Ava requested, leaving Ava, Caspian and Drinian in the tent alone.

"What is it, Princess?" Drinian asked as Ava began to shake her head. She could feel her cheeks begin to grow red and she fought to steady her voice before replying.

"I need you to take your shirt off."

"Pardon me?" Caspian asked his eyes wide.

"Your shirt, Caspian, it's blocking my view of the wound and I can't see it clearly. So please, remove your shirt," Ava explained hurriedly as she fought against the blush spreading across her cheeks. Caspian stared at her for a few seconds more. "Now, please."

Caspian tried to smirk as he moved to unbutton the top of his shirt, but the motion sent a spike of pain through his arm and made him hiss instead. Ava's hands swiftly shot up and began to unbutton the shirt for him. As he exhaled, Ava could feel Caspian's warm breath on her hands, and as her fingertips brushed against the skin of his chest she could feel that warmth start to seep through the rest of her body. Ava could no longer fight the blush that now seemed to cover her whole face.

She wasn't the only one who was affected by the slight brushing; Caspian felt the warmth too. He had always found Ava pretty, and as he came to know her his affection for her had only grown deeper. Now she stood before him, so close to him, doing something that could be so intimate in any other circumstance. He had to fight to maintain control of his thoughts, but that became near impossible to do as her hands lowered to his waist and paused there.

"Perhaps I should take it from here?" Drinian asked, stepping forth.

"A most excellent idea, my Lord," Ava said as she quickly dropped her hands and stepped aside.

Ava turned away from Caspian and faced the entrance of the tent as she tried to collect herself and regain control. What had just happened? Why did her body react like that to the faintest of touches? Sure she understood how that particular action could be viewed as intimate, but Caspian was her friend. They didn't view each other in that light. She couldn't. She was the Naiad Princess.

Ava turned back around as she heard Drinian move away. She had to force herself to focus only on Caspian's wounded shoulder and not the rest of his exposed chest. She took a deep breath as she approached him once more. She carefully inspected the wound before commenting on it, but when she spoke at last, she was surprised to find her voice was steady and even, because her pulse certainly did not feel steady.

"It doesn't appear to be a very deep wound," she said.

"That's good, I suppose," Caspian replied.

"It's very good. It means it will heal faster. Please, sit on the bench there." Caspian moved to the bench Ava had pointed to just as Tavros and Willet returned, and Ava instructed them to sit the bowl and bandages down on the table before Caspian.

"What are you doing?" Willet asked curiously as Ava placed her hand in the bowl and left it there.

"I'm heating the water up a bit," she replied.

"You can do that?"

"I can control many aspects of the water, including the temperate. I can make it as hot or as cold as I'd like."

"What else can you do with it?"

"Willet, that's enough. Don't disturb the Princess," Drinian commanded.

"It's quite alright, Lord Drinian. I don't mind answering the boy's questions." Ava smiled before turning her attention back to the young Telmarine soldier. "I can will it to go where I want." She demonstrated this by pulling her hand out of the bowl and making the water rise up as if it were attached by a string on her finger.

"Usually," Ava continued. "When one holds water in their hands it easily slips through their fingers. That is not so with me." Ava lowered her hand into the bowl again and scooped out a handful of water in demonstration. She then carried the water to Caspian's shoulder.

"I'm going to clean the wound first," she explained. "Now, the water is quite warm so be prepared."

Ava tipped her hand sideways and allowed the water to slowly fall on Caspian's shoulder. The water ran the length of the wound and gathered at the bottom on either side of his shoulder. Ava recollected it and sent it running over the wound again. She did this once more before discarding the water and collecting a clean handful from the bowl. Each time the water ran over the wound it collected dirt, dried blood flakes, shirt strings, and any other debris that was there. Ava repeated the cleaning process until the skin around the wound was red and the water came off as clean as it had been when it went on.

"Now, I treat the wound. This is a bit difficult to explain, but I'll do my best. First I make a stream of water between two hands. Then I lay it over the wound so that the water covers it completely. Next I send pulses of magic from one hand to the other. The magic flows through the water and through the wound healing it from the inside out. Finally I lay a thin strip of water over the wound and wrap it. Sometimes one treatment isn't enough and I have to do a second, but I have to let it sit a couple of hours first."

Ava collected the water she needed from the bowl before proceeding. "Now Caspian, I've been told that at first the water feels cold, even though it will be the same temperature as when I cleaned the wound. Then you'll feel a sort of tingling or bubbling in the wound as the temperature steadily increases. After the temperature has reached its peak it will slowly turn cold again."

Caspian nodded to show that he understood, and Ava proceeded to treat his wound. The treatment lasted about five minutes before Ava collected more water for the thin strip and wrapped the bandaging cloth around Caspian's shoulder.

"Now, try moving it a bit," Ava said when she had finished wrapping it.

"Wow," Caspian exclaimed as he rolled his shoulder a few times. "It feels better already. Thank you, Ava."

Ava beamed. "You're quite welcome, Caspian. And I trust, that next time you won't hesitate to seek my aid. We don't need a King who's too proud to admit when he is hurt. Now," Ava stepped away from Caspian and picked up the bowl of water. "If there is no one else who needs my healing in this tent," she paused and looked around. Seeing no response she continued," then I shall be heading back to those that do need my aid. I will come back later today, Caspian, to check on your shoulder."

"Very well then. Thank you again, Ava," Caspian smiled.

"It was my pleasure, Your Majesty." Ava gave a quick teasing curtsey before leaving the tent; Caspian did not like it when those he considered his friends bowed to him or addressed him as 'Your Majesty.'

XOXOX

Ava returned to the tent of injured Narnians and picked up where she left off with Selenius, and she continued to heal the wounded throughout the day. Using so much healing magic did have its toll on Ava though. As the sun began to set, Ava found herself growing much weaker. After checking on Caspian again, to find that the large gashing wound on his shoulder had reduced to a small red scar, Ava retreated to the nearby stream where she stayed through the night replenishing her magic. When the sun rose in the morning, Ava returned to the campsite and healed as she was needed.

The war with the giants continued over the next several days, but by the end of two weeks the giants had surrendered to the Narnians. When Caspian and all his army returned to the castle at Beaver's Dam, for the restoration of Cair Paravel was not yet complete, Caspian was adorned with the title Baron of Ettinsmoor. Every few months after that war ended, Caspian received the due bimonthly tribute from the giants.

Narnia was at peace once more.


	2. Chapter 2

**OK, so I was going to wait another day or two for this... but I just couldn't help it. So, here is an extra special treat, chapter 2! Enjoy! (I hope)**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 2**

"Oh!" Ava took in a great gasp of air in surprise as she looked upon her target. "Caspian, she's beautiful! She's breath taking! Simply stunning! I can't seem to find the right words to describe her."

"So you like her then?" Caspian questioned sarcastically.

"I believe, Sire, that would be an understatement," Lord Drinian replied. Caspian's smile grew wider and Ava let out a little laugh.

"Honestly, Caspian, I don't know what to say," Ava said.

"Well that's a first," Caspian teased.

"Oh stop." Ava hit his arm playfully. "Have you thought of a name for her yet?"

"I have thought of many names. But after giving it a considerable amount of thought, I believe I have settled on the name _Dawn Treader_. It seemed most appropriate seeing as how she will be sailing eastward in about a month's time."

Ava turned her eyes back to the target before her: a magnificent ship sitting just out to sea at the end of the quay. She had an open-mouthed dragon's head at her prow and the tail at her stern. The jade green wings of the dragon stretched nearly half the length of the ship. Ava found herself breathless before the sight of it. She had known for several months that Caspian was building a ship and planning a trip to the east, but he had kept the details of the ship a secret even from her. He sought the aid of the trees, Dr. Cornelius, and even the River God for a magical concealment hiding the ship from view. Only those who were building the ship could see it. Now, at last, Caspian has allowed Ava to see the final product before the rest of the citizens.

"A month's time, really? You plan to leave that soon?" Ava asked, looking back at Caspian.

"Ava, I do not think I could hold back my excitement much longer." And in truth, Caspian looked the most excited he'd ever been.

"Who will be her captain?"

"That honor would be mine, Princess," Drinian said as he gazed adoringly upon the magnificent vessel.

"A finer choice you could not have made, Caspian. And what of her first mate, who should have that honor?"

"Look at you! Been doing a bit of reading, have you?" Caspian asked.

"Oh Caspian, I have been as nearly as excited as you about this voyage. Of course I would do my research. And even if I weren't excited about it, I would have had to research it anyways just to keep up with all your talk."

Caspian let out a hearty laugh before finally answering Ava's question. "Drinian and I have discussed the matter of 'first mate' quite often, but we have yet to make a decision."

"If I may be so bold as to offer my opinion…"

"I would expect nothing less from you, Ava."

"…I would suggest Tavros. He is most loyal to Your Majesty, and for a Minotaur I find his heart to be quite light. The thrill of a sea voyage would please him to no end." Ava continued on as if she hadn't heard Caspian's sly remark.

"Not to mention he would be quite the sight to behold if we were to run into any unfriendly vessels," Drinian added.

"That he would," said Caspian. "I will take your _opinion_ into consideration, Princess."

"That is all I ever ask of thee, Your Highness," Ava said rather former like earning her a glare from Caspian; to which she responded with an innocent smile.

Ava sighed and looked back at the ship. "She is most beautiful."

"Would you like to see more of her?" Caspian asked. "I could take you on board if you like? Show you around."

"Oh Caspian! That would be wonderful!" Ava exclaimed.

Caspian held out an arm in invitation to Ava and she quickly wrapped her arm through his. Together the three friends walked to the end of the quay and climbed aboard the grand ship. Caspian showed Ava around the main deck and the forecastle first. Ava marveled at the intricate details and inlaid carvings of the apple wood deck. She ran her fingers gently over the carved wooden Fauns holding the bell, amazed at how life-like they looked. She stared up at the top of the main mast where she saw what appeared to be a lamp post like that of Lantern Waste.

Next Caspian led Ava through two sets of double doors with stained glass windows and golden handles. This, Caspian informed her, was the Royal State room where Caspian would bunk. Ava was mesmerized by the paintings that lined the walls as she walked about the cabin. Directly to Ava's left there was a golden plate of the Great Lion's head and mane. Following along the same wall was a picture which depicted the Kings and Queen's of Old riding through the wood, and beside it was a picture of a noble Centaur blowing his horn on the battle field. Ava then came to more stained glass windows and double glass doors which opened onto a balcony.

Following back up the wall towards the main entrance was a painting depicting a snowy winter scene and a young Daughter of Eve conversing with a Faun; this, of course, was the young Queen Lucy and her first Narnian friend Mr. Tumnus. The picture Ava came to next took her breath away more than any other. It was of the Great River, and in the river were two figures. One figure was that of an old man with weeds hanging from his face like a beard; Ava knew this figure to be her ancestor, the River God. The other figure was of a beautiful blonde maiden with clear blue eyes. Ava hadn't made it completely around the room, but this picture drew her to a stop and she turned around to face Caspian.

"It seemed only fitting to have the Naiad Princess aboard a sailing vessel, even if only in ink," Caspian said softly.

"It's beautiful, Caspian," Ava replied just as softly. She smiled at him quietly before speaking again. "Where exactly will she be sailing to?"

"We can show you the planned voyage best in the map room," Drinian answered.

Ava followed Caspian and Drinian back through the double doors to the main deck. They climbed the stairs on the port side to the poop deck, Ava's eyes lingered upon the detail of the wheel and the two carved fish which held it up, before entering another cabin. Ava looked about the room and saw that the walls were lined with maps of Narnia and the surrounding land. Meanwhile, Drinian rolled out a large map on the table.

"First we sail to Galma," Drinian said as he pointed to an island just off of Narnia on the map. "I expect to arrive there the day after we leave. The Duke will be expecting us and has promised our time at port to be an enjoyable affair. From there we make way to Terebinthia, and after spending a few days at port there we sail north to the Seven Isles. Then south and east to the Lone Islands."

"And how long should all that take?" Ava asked.

"If all goes well a month, give or take a few days."

"I see no more islands beyond those of the Lone Islands. Are you to return home then?"

"No," Caspian answered. "We will continue to sail eastward. It is my desire to learn of the fates of all seven of the Lords my uncle sent away. I will not stop until I have."

"But Caspian… that could take many months."

"I am aware of that, Ava. But I must find them."

Ava nodded; she knew how he felt about the matter. "And what of me, Caspian?" Ava smiled sweetly. "What shall I do while you are gone all this time? But more importantly…" Ava paused as her smile turned into a smirk. "How will you ever get along without me for so long?"

Caspian and Drinian both chuckled, Drinian out of amusement and Caspian in an attempt to mask his true reaction: dread. Had she discovered his secret fear?

It had been seventeen months since the end of the war with the giants, and Caspian and Ava's friendship had only intensified. A couple of months after the war ended, Ava had decided to live as a Lady of the Court and she was given lodgings at the newly restored Cair Paravel where she still resided. Ava and Caspian ate meals together and spent much of their waking hours at each other's side. The main reason Caspian had kept the details of the _Dawn Treader_ a secret from Ava is because he wanted to see the joy on her face when at last she did see it, and because he enjoyed teasing her about it. Her smile brought joy to his heart and shined like the sun. How could he live without that light?

"Oh Caspian, she is truly a lovely ship," Ava said dreamily. "I am certain you will have a marvelous adventure. I will pray that Aslan will return you safely to Narnia." Ava smiled brightly before turning to leave the map room.

Suddenly Caspian realized he couldn't live without the light of Ava's smile, but before his mind could fully process this revelation his mouth had already opened and begun to form words. Unfortunately, they were neither coherent nor cohesive.

"How…? Do you…? What about," he stammered in a fashion that was unlike him.

"Caspian? Are you alright?" Ave asked as she turned back to look at Caspian.

"I believe," Drinian began, "that His Majesty is trying to extend an invitation."

"An invitation?"

"Thank you, Drinian," Caspian nodded his thanks. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Would you like to join us, Ava, on the voyage?"

Once more Ava found herself speechless. "Really? You—you want me to go?" She covered her mouth with her hands.

"Ava you are my greatest friend. Of course I would like for you to go."

"What is your answer, Princess? Will you join us?" Drinian asked when Ava did not respond immediately.

"I would be honored, Your Majesty," Ava answered with a curtsey. Then she rushed upon Caspian and threw her arms around his neck in an embrace.

XOXOX

The two swords came together with a clash.

"Keep your sword up, Ava," Caspian instructed as Ava barely held off his attack. "That's much better. Now attack a little faster…. Good, good."

For a few moments all that could be heard was the ringing of swords and the shuffling of feet. Ava and Caspian were practicing their swordsmanship; well, Ava was practicing and Caspian was instructing. Almost immediately following her tour upon the _Dawn Treader_, nearly a month ago now, Ava had asked Caspian to teach her how to sword fight. Ava and Caspian were still practicing when Drinian and Dr. Cornelius walked in.

"You're getting much better, Princess," Drinian said when Caspian and Ava finally paused.

"Drinian… I have told you…to call me Ava… but nevertheless, thank you." Ava said while trying to catch her breath. "Though, I should say that most of the credit goes to my excellent teacher."

"Don't count yourself short, Ava. You are a fast learner and an excellent pupil," Caspian commented, before taking her sword and putting it away.

"I still don't see why you feel you must learn to fight," Cornelius said in a worried tone.

"I told you, Father, it is for the voyage. I will be the only lady present," Ava explained once more.

"Yes, and you will be surrounded by skilled swordsmen and bowmen. You will be well protected."

"And why should I not be able to protect myself? Am I just to be a pretty face and nothing more? To smile my graces and flatter men with my company? The Queens of Old did not settle for that and neither will I, Father. Queen Lucy did not receive the name 'Lucy the Valiant' for nothing. And even Queen Susan was excellent with the bow."

Ava sighed. "Father, when I was a small child you read me the stories of the Golden Age, and when I was frightened you told me to be like Lucy the Valiant. I have strived for that every day. Why should I stop now?"

"I think she has won this argument, Dr. Cornelius," Drinian said.

"So it would seem," Cornelius replied, defeated.

"Father, I love you," Ava said tenderly as she placed a kiss on his wrinkled forehead. "But you must learn not to worry about me so much anymore."

"I shall not cease to worry about you until I have left this life and journeyed to Aslan's Country. You will understand when you have a daughter."

Ava conceded with a smile. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, dinner will be ready soon I imagine, and I must freshen up. After all, I am but a Lady."

"A title that seems fitting only when you desire it to be, I see," remarked Caspian.

"Exactly, my dear friend, it seems you are fast learner too." Ava grinned before walking away. When Caspian thought she was out of range he leaned down to whisper to Dr. Cornelius.

"Do not worry, Professor. I intend to make sure she stays well away from any sort of danger and fighting. I will lock her in the cabin if I have to."

Ava stopped abruptly and called out, "I heard that Caspian!" She paused and looked over her shoulder. "And you will do no such thing," she added before continuing on to her quarters.

XOXOX

Two days later, Ava and Caspian were once more boarding the Dawn Treader. This time though, it was to set sail. All of Narnia was present at the shore to bid their King and their Naiad Princess a Bon Voyage. Around eight of the clock in the morning, the Dawn Treader let her single large purple sail unfurl, and at once it caught a strong and steady westerly wind. The voyage had begun!


	3. Chapter 3

I know I said I was going to post this on Tuesday, but I figured ya'll wouldn't mind if I posted it early. ;) I just finished reading an excellent Caspian/OC story called **_The Ties that Bind Us_ by Carrot Top**. There were a few things I was a little wary of, but Caspian in 2009 Texas (only for the first part of the story) is hysterical! Then things turn deadly serious. All in all, it was fantastic and I recommend reading it if you haven't already. Some other fantastic reads if you haven't found them... _**A Change in the Stars Brings Me to You**_** and its follow up _Nothing but Hope in My Hands and Love in My Heart_ by Retsukaji** (Caspian/OC), **_Rosalie Sopespian_ and its follow up _A New Horizon_ by TennisQueen12** (Caspian/OC), and _**Choices**_** by kelseyelizabethxo** (Caspian/Lucy).

So, without further ado, I give you chapter 3... Enjoy! :D

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 3**

The _Dawn Treader_ made port at Galma a mere twenty-eight hours after it left Cair Paravel. A large crowd had gathered on the quay to welcome the Narnian King. The royal court of Glama and the entire crew of the _Dawn Treader_ were treated to a great mid-day feast. At the feast Ava was placed next to Genevieve, the Duke of Galma's daughter.

Genevieve was a gracious looking Lady around Ava's age. She had soft red hair that flowed past her waist and lingered on the orange side especially when the sunlight hit it. A light sprinkling of freckles showered her heart shaped face. And her eyes were a gentle chestnut brown that shimmered with mirth. Her father, the Duke, was a jolly old man with a round belly and a balding head. His hazel eyes, like his daughter's, seemed to always glisten with tears of laughter.

Ava and Genevieve conversed throughout most of the feast. Things seemed a little awkward at first, but Ava quickly saw that she and Genevieve had great potential to be excellent friends. After the food had all been devoured, Genevieve and Ava decided to take a stroll about the terrace just off the banquet hall, while, Caspian and Drinian remained talking with the Duke at the table.

As they walked arm in arm, Genevieve finally managed to work up the courage to approach a topic that she had been curious about since she had laid eyes on the handsome King of Narnia. From her vantage point at the table, Genevieve had been able to see clearly how the King's eyes lingered upon Ava. She also noticed that Ava and the King's mannerisms showed a close companionship, but how far did their relationship really extend?

"I feel I must apologize for not commenting on this earlier," Genevieve began sweetly, "but congratulations, Lady Ava."

Before arriving at Galma, Ava had told Caspian and Drinian that while they were visiting islands she wanted to be addressed as a Lady of the Court and not as a Princess to keep things simple.

"Congratulations for what, Lady Genevieve?" Ava asked, slightly confused.

"For your betrothal, of course."

"My betrothal? And to whom am I betrothed?"

"Why, His Majesty King Caspian."

"Caspian!"Ava stopped abruptly in surprise. "Caspian and I aren't betrothed. Why, we aren't even courting! I'm afraid you are mistaken, Lady Genevieve; Caspian and I are just friends."

"Really?" Genevieve sounded just as surprised as Ava had. "Well that is something. Forgive me, Lady Ava. I had not realized that was the case."

"It's quite alright, Genevieve," Ava said as she patted Genevieve's hand and they began walking once more. "Might I inquire as to why you were under the impression that I was betrothed to His Majesty?"

"Oh, well I am not the only one who thought so; Pa-Pa believed it too. When His Majesty sent word that you would be joining him on his visit, naturally, we assumed that you had become betrothed."

"Oh…oh well I suppose I can understand why you might have believed that. It did seem like a sudden change in plans. I must admit, I was very surprised when he asked me to join him, thrilled, but surprised."

"Hmm, yes I'd be thrilled too." Genevieve smiled impishly. "Your King is very handsome, Ava," Genevieve explained at Ava's curious expression. At that very moment Ava and Genevieve stopped and turned back to look in through the open glass doors of the banquet hall. Ava looked upon Caspian, and she suddenly understood Genevieve's words.

For seemingly the first time, Ava noticed just how much Caspian had grown over the last three years. He was a couple of inches taller now than he had been, whether it was because he had physically grown or because he was simply standing taller, Ava didn't know. His hair had lengthened as well and evened out. He currently had part of it held back with an elastic band. He and Ava had debated over that matter for several minutes before exiting the ship; Ava had insisted that he looked more kingly and business like with his hair pulled back, that, and he wouldn't be tempted to mess with it. Another difference that Ava noticed, and seemed to like best, was the beard he had decided to let grow out. It was just a light sprinkling of stubble at the moment, but Ava found it exhilarating. Suddenly the Duke said something amusing, and Caspian threw his head back and laughed loudly sending chills up Ava's spine.

"He is handsome, isn't he?"

"Very," Genevieve confirmed; Ava hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud. "You are friends with him, you say?"

"Yes, we are great friends."

"Then you would know. Is His Majesty courting _anyone_ at the moment?"

Ava found herself pausing as a strange new emotion seemed to come over her; a sort of knotting in the stomach and a burning in her head, and she found herself thinking ill thoughts of Genevieve.

"No. His Majesty is courting no one," Ava answered quietly.

Ava had no time to contemplate the strange emotion any further, because at that moment someone Ava hadn't seen at the feast had entered the Banquet Hall, and he was capturing the attention of the Duke and Caspian, as well as Genevieve. The man was dressed in great amounts of velvet and gold. Upon his head he wore a large brimmed hat with a blue feathered plume. When he took his hat off to bow to Caspian, Ava saw that he kept his dirty-blonde hair cut short.

"He's returned!" Genevieve exclaimed, dropping Ava's arm.

"Who has?" Ava asked, but she received no answer as Genevieve had already dashed off to greet the man. Ava followed behind at a brisk stroll.

"Cousin!"

"Sweet Lady Genevieve!" Genevieve threw her arms around the man's neck as he wrapped his around her waist and lifted her tiny body off the ground as they spun.

"Oh, how good it is to see you, again!" The man exclaimed as he placed Genevieve on her feet once more.

"And it is good to see you, my cousin," Genevieve said with a smile. "I trust all is well in Olrich."

"All is well indeed." At that moment Ava joined the crowd that had gathered. As she stepped up beside Caspian, the visitor's jade green eyes fell upon her. He moved forward.

"And who is this exquisite beauty?" His voice had taken on a lower, more seductive tone.

"My dearest, Nephew," The Duke bellowed. "Allow me to introduce you. This fair maiden is the Lady Ava; she hails from Narnia, like our guests. My Lady, this is my late sister's only son, the Lord Peddelton of Olrich." Olrich, Ava had learned, was a small city on the far side of the island.

"It is my greatest pleasure to meet you, fairest Lady Ava. Your beauty is almost enough to rival my dear sweet cousin's," the Lord Peddelton crooned as he reached for Ava's right hand and raised it to his lips. Without taking his eyes off of Ava, he tenderly kissed the back of her hand. Ava felt her body flush with a strange heat. She had felt this same flushness around Caspian a few times now, the first time being during the war with the giants, but this time it wasn't nearly as pleasant.

"She is something to look at, isn't she?" the Duke said as his eyes roamed over Ava. "But I am afraid she is spoken for."

"Oh but, Pa-Pa, she isn't," Genevieve said before Caspian could question the Duke or Ava could refute his words. "Lady Ava explained it to me on the terrace. She is not betrothed to His Majesty; they are only great friends." Genevieve's eyes flashed to Caspian with a sort of lustful hunger, but he didn't notice because his eyes had turned to Ava.

"Ah, then I am even more pleased to meet thy rare beauty," Lord Peddelton said, his lips still close to Ava's hand.

Ava laughed nervously as she pulled her hand back. "My Lord, you flatter me with your kind words."

"Betrothed?" Caspian questioned.

"You changed your plans Caspian, and brought me along with you. They thought we were betrothed because of it," Ava explained.

"Oh, oh well I am sorry for the miss information, Duke."

"Nothing to it my dear boy, nothing to it!" The Duke gave a great jolly laugh, throwing his head back and clapping Caspian on the back.

XOXOX

In the days that followed, Ava found that her presence was often requested by the Lord Peddelton, and as much time as she seemed to be spending with the Galman Lord, Caspian appeared to be spending just as much time with the Duke's daughter. For reasons unknown to her, Ava found herself liking the young Genevieve and her cousin less and less.

The Lord's speech patterns had not changed since Ava met him. He continued to speak in low tones and he often recited flowery Galman poetry. The Lord had discovered from experience, that typical Galman women took great delight in his poetry , but what he had failed to realize is that Ava was not typical. She seemed to see through his fancy speech and saw that it was nothing more than a ruse, probably used to bed women since the Lord gave no pretense of his virtue still being intact.

Ava felt her feelings growing ill for Genevieve simply because she seemed to be monopolizing all of Caspian's time, sitting with him at meals and speaking with him afterwards. In fact, whenever Ava tried to find some time for her and Caspian to be alone, Genevieve always interrupted them and insisted that there was something she must show _"His Majesty"_ at that very moment and it could not possibly wait until a later time. Ava would always stand, frozen in place, as she watched Her King walk off with Genevieve's arm linked through his, and that strange stomach knotting and head burning feeling she'd had on the terrace.

XOXOX

On the fourth day of their visit, the Duke of Galma had arranged a great tournament in honor of the King of Narnia. The tournament lasted for several days and Caspian and the Lord Peddelton fared quite well; though, the former had a rough start at first. Ava's character was so gentle, that she could hardly stand to see anyone be struck with the lance, but she found that her worry was tenfold whenever it was Caspian's turn to joust. She knew that Genevieve had laughed at her reactions several times.

Ava sat in the Royal Box with the Duke and Genevieve. Reepicheep and Tavros, the Dawn Treader's first mate, were with Ava in the box, while Drinian and Voltinus had decided to stand at Caspian's side. Finally, the final day of the tournament had arrived. It was also the final day of the Narnian's visit in Galma, for which, Ava was thankful; she was ready to have Her King back and she was eager for the rest of the voyage to begin.

The sun was beginning to sink behind the line of trees and the horses were growing weary. There was a thick cloud of excitement in the air as the tournament had been narrowed down to two final competitors: King Caspian X of the Narnia, and the Lord Peddelton of Galma. Ava's nerves were strung tight. The Lord Peddelton was renowned for his jousting skills, and Caspian, though he had done well so far, could still be considered a beginner. What's more, Ava knew the Galman Lord would not hold back as others had just because Caspian was a King.

"You should relax, my Lady," Reepicheep said softly to Ava. "His Majesty is well protected, he has preformed most excellently in this tournament. We must trust that Aslan will continue to grace His Majesty with his blessings."

"I do trust Aslan, Reepicheep. What I don't trust, is the Lord Peddelton," Ava whispered back so that neither the Duke nor his daughter would hear.

"I am sure he is an honorable Lord, Princess."

Ava could not refute Reepicheep's words because the match had begun, and unlike traditional matches, Caspian and Lord Peddelton met in the center. After bowing their heads in acknowledgment to each other, Lord Peddelton turned to address the crowd.

"My Lord's, and fair Ladies," Lord Peddelton called out in a large voice. "I have a proposition for His Majesty, to make things a little more…interesting, if you will."

"Let us hear this proposition," Caspian declared.

The Lord Peddelton gave a roguish grin. "I propose that the winner receive a kiss from the fair Lady Ava."

Caspian clasped his jaw shut tightly. How dare the Lord make such a bold proposition! What right had he? Caspian glanced up at Ava sitting in the box next to Genevieve. Reepicheep was standing on the arm of Ava's chair and he had drawn his rapier; apparently, the noble mouse disapproved of the Lord's bold request just as much as Caspian did.

"Well, what say you, King Caspian?" the Duke asked.

"I dare not speak for the Lady Ava, but if she agrees to the Lord's proposition, then so shall I," Caspian replied, locking eyes with Ava.

Ava was astounded. Why had Caspian placed the decision on her? Though, she would have been angry if he agreed without her consent; she supposed he knew that. Still. Now she had to decide, and she didn't know what to do. The crowd had begun cheering and chanting for a kiss. The prospect of having to kiss Lord Peddelton was disagreeing with Ava's stomach, but how could she say no to the people?

"Come on, Ava. Accept the proposition. What a treat it would be," Genevieve encouraged. Meanwhile, Reepicheep had other words to say.

"Surely you do not think the Lady Ava will accept such a bold request. What honor have you?" As Reepicheep spoke he waved his tiny sword about.

"Relax, Reepicheep. It is but a kiss," Ava said softly to him, before rising and walking to the front wall of the box. "I will accept. The winner will receive my kiss."

The crowd cheered ecstatically.

XO

Caspian and Lord Peddelton tilted their heads to each other once more before retreating to their proper sides. As Lord Peddelton turned to travel back to his side, his roguish grin turned into something more sinister. He felt that kiss was as good as his.

XO

Ava returned to her seat with a pounding heart. There was even more at stake with this match than before. She'd accepted because she felt she could not be seen as weak by turning down a simple request. As she told Reepicheep, it was just a kiss. Tomorrow they would be leaving and she would have to accommodate the Lord no more. And if all went well, Caspian would win the match. She could live with giving him a kiss.

The flagman raised the flag and the match began.

Hooves pounded through the dirt of the well worn track. Helmet visors were shut with a clang. Lances were held out straight. Lord and King charged for one another. One lance found its target and splintered into a hundred pieces.

The crowd cheered!

Ava released her breath as a single flag was placed on Caspian's side. He had received the first point. As Lord and King trotted by each other on their way to their rightful sides, one whispered to the other.

"Lucky blow, Your Majesty. May your luck prevail." The Lord Peddelton's words seemed sincere, but Caspian did not like the tone of his voice; it was too pompous.

XO

Once more the flagman waved his flag and the horses were on the charge. Again, a lance found its target, splintering, but this time there was a greater clash and a collective gasp from the crowd. Ava jumped to her feet and sprinted to the wall. Caspian had been struck on the helmet. A blow like that would leave any man disoriented.

"She's as good as mine," Lord Peddelton whispered possessively as he and Caspian passed once more.

XO

As Caspian stared down the track at the despicable Galman Lord, his view wavered. The Lord's words rung in his head, _"She's as good as mine,"_ and made his blood boil. He spoke as if Ava were some prize to be won, a trophy for his taking. Caspian glanced briefly up at Ava. She was leaning against the wall, watching him. Her hair flowed freely in the gentle breeze. She held her bottom lip between her teeth in worry, making it pinker than it already was. Caspian knew he would die before he allowed a man as vile as the Lord Peddelton to taint those precious lips.

"With your grace, Aslan," Caspian whispered a silent prayer as the flagman raised his flag for the final time.

XO

Ava had not stepped back from the wall since Caspian was struck. She had to make sure he was alright. He trotted slowly back to his side, swerving slightly. He must not have been too badly injured, because Drinian prepared him for another run and Ava knew Drinian would not allow it otherwise. As Caspian turned his gaze upon Ava, their eyes locked for a brief moment. There was such emotion, such feeling behind Caspian's warm eyes that it nearly knocked Ava off her feet. Lord Peddelton's eyes had nothing on Caspian's.

As Caspian turned his eyes back to his target, Ava turned hers to the sky and whispered a silent prayer. "With your grace, Aslan."

Ava did not want to see the match, but as she heard the hooves pounding she could not stop her eyes from opening. Each hoof fall felt like an eternity to Ava, and she was sure she could see each grain of dirt fall before the next hoof hit. The slow rhythmic beat of hoof on well trodden dirt sent shockwaves through Ava. She did not breathe; she couldn't.

The stakes were high and Lord Peddelton was ahead.

Caspian tucked his lance firmly into his side. For the sake of Ava he could not lose this joust. He could not let Ava be marred by the likes of Lord Peddelton. He would not stand for it.

XO

Lance struck armor!

There was a great clamoring and a deafening roar erupted from the crowd.

Ava's heart stopped. She had to learn how to breathe again.

Slowly Ava's heart began to beat at a normal rate. Her breathing evened out. And a smile spread across her face. Caspian had unhorsed Lord Peddelton! Caspian had won!

XOXOX

Caspian gently rode his horse over to the Royal Box. As he looked up at Ava he smiled. Ava began to walk down the stairs as the crowd chanted for a kiss. Caspian dismounted and stood before Ava. His hair was plastered to his skin and his face was coated with a light sheen of sweat, but Ava did not seem to notice for she looked only into his eyes.

Suddenly, Ava found herself nervous. She did not know what to do exactly. She had not kissed a man before. Caspian saw the hesitance in her eyes and mistook it for reluctance. He knew he could never take a kiss from a Lady if they were not truly ready for it. Just as Ava had begun to stand on her toes and lean forward, Caspian spoke so that all could hear.

"Keep your kiss, Lady Ava, for it is not some prize to be won."

Ava fell back on her heels. She should have known that Caspian would not make her go through with it. He contained more honor than any Lord of Galma, which is why he deserved the kiss more than any. Ava quickly rose to her toes and leaned forward again. She grabbed Caspian's chin and turned his head ever so slightly, before placing a tender kiss on his cheek. This simple act seemed to appease the crowd to no end, but for both Caspian and Ava it lit a spark that neither could fully comprehend.

* * *

><p>So, I must give thanks and credit to my husband for helping me get the jousting scene just right; I had one idea an he had another just as good, so I combined them. And, I totally watched <strong>A Knight's Tale<strong> (with Heath Ledger) to get the jousting right as well. You can look for chapter 4 around Thursday or Friday. For anyone interested, the scoring is as thus (taken from **A Knight's Tale**):

3 Lances = 1 match

1 point for breaking the lance between the waist and neck

2 points for breaking the lance on the helmet

3 points for unhorsing


	4. Chapter 4

**For those who read the sneak peak at the end of part one, the scene in this chapter may seem familiar. However, it is not identical. I wrote the scene long before I ever wrote chapter 3, and since writing the original scene, Lord Peddelton took on his own character. So the scene has been modified a little, to match the Galman Lord's character.**

**Thanks for all the reviews/alerts/favorites! Enjoy chapter 4! :D**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 4**

Ava and Caspian stood side by side on the deck of the _Dawn Treader_ waving goodbye to the kind citizens of Galma.

"Well that was…something," Ava said with a sigh as she lowered her arm once they were far enough away.

"So it was. Join me in the Map Room for a drink? I think after that visit we could all use one," Caspian said. Ava smiled and nodded. They entered the cabin to find Drinian already there. He promptly poured each of them a glass of mead.

"How about a toast," Ava said. "What shall it be for?"

"To adventure," said Caspian.

"To the open sea," added Drinian.

"And to all that lies beyond," Ava finished. They clinked their glasses together and took a sip. Caspian wandered over to look out the window, while Ava took seat in one of the chairs. Drinian remained where he was by the table.

"The Lord Peddelton seemed quite taken with you, Ava," Drinian said.

"That pompous fool," Ava groaned.

"Was he really as bad as all that?"

"He thought a few silky words would win me over, that a few lines of poetry would leave me glassy-eyed and unable to stand on my own two feet. He knew nothing of me, and even if I tried to tell him he'd not have the ears to listen. I can't believe he actually thought I'd court him."

"What? He made no request of courtship known to me. Did he ask you for permission, Lord Drinian?" Caspian asked turning away from the window. The sudden talk of Ava's potential courtship had aroused Caspian from his contemplative thoughts.

"No, Your Majesty, he did not," Drinian replied.

"And why should he have to ask either one of you for permission?" Ava suddenly became angry. "Why should I not be allowed to speak for myself?"

"Ava, you must know the proper Narnian etiquette when it comes to such matters as courtship. If your father Dr. Cornelius were there, then the Lord Peddelton should have asked him. It may have been proper in Galma to not ask the father of a Lady, but is different in Narnia." Caspian declared.

"But in Father's absence, who should one ask?" Ava stood up and took a step towards Caspian. "The ship's captain? You? You think I belong to either of you?" With each question, she took a step closer until she was standing in front of him.

"No, My King, I do not think it would be proper for the Lord Peddelton, or any Lord, to ask you for my hand, nor do I think it proper he ask the professor. If one truly wanted to court me properly, he must call up the great River God and ask him, or else ask all the talking beasts and creatures of Narnia for it is to them that I truly belong."

Ava breathed deeply to calm herself. It seemed that all of her frustrations over the week were finally expressing themselves. "And what, My King, would you have said if he had asked you?" She asked quietly.

"I would not have allowed it!" Caspian declared. "That Lord was as vile a man as I've ever seen. I am sure Drinian would agree with me on the matter." Caspian looked over to Drinian, who rather looked like he'd not get involved. Drinian had no chance for any response however, because Ava beat him to it, angry once more.

"You think I don't know a vile man when I see him? Were you not listening to me just now? Or were you too busy thinking of your precious Genevieve?"

"Genevieve?"

"I hardly saw you at all this week, for you spent every moment with her."

"That was her doing and not mine."

"And yet you did nothing to stop it."

"I…Well you spent all your time with Lord Peddelton."

"What could I have done? I felt I had no voice on Galma, and every time I tried to speak with you about it, you were swept away by Genevieve. I would have you know, that I detested every moment I was made to spend with that man."

"If you disliked him so, then why did you agree to kiss him?"

"I didn't." Ava said softly, shaking her head. "I agreed to the proposition, because I knew My King would not let me down."

Ava and Caspian stared at each other for a few moments, their eyes like two pools melding together. Ava watched as the usual liquid warmth began to spread through Caspian's eyes once more. His anger was dissipating, and as his did so did hers. Ava could not stay angry with her best friend. At last Caspian took a deep breath and apologized.

"Forgive me, Ava. I did not mean to offend you."

Ava heard his sincerity and smiled. "It's alright, Caspian. I know you meant no harm." She walked back to her chair.

"Did the Lord Peddelton ever get around to asking for your courtship?" Caspian asked.

"Yes." Ava replied simply before she took a sip of her mead. "I told him that I was quite flattered that a Lord of his caliber would find himself taken with me, but that I could not bear to be parted from my people indefinitely and that I could not ask such an endearing country to give up their noblest warrior for me."

"Beautifully done, Princess, I'm not sure even the King could have phrased it better," said Drinian as he raised his glass to Ava, hoping to ease the tension.

"Yes, yes. That was very well handled," Caspian affirmed before taking a hasty drink from his own cup.

"And what of your time in Galma, Caspian? You did spend quite a bit of time with the Duke's daughter. Might there be something there in the future?" asked Drinian.

"No, I should think not."

"Did you not find her pretty enough for your liking? Or was she too much like her cousin?"

"No, she did not seem like her cousin at all. And she was pleasant enough, I suppose. But I don't know why I would settle for 'pleasant enough' when I know for a fact that there are greater beauties much closer to home." Caspian said as he looked over at Ava; she had not noticed his gaze for she seemed to be starring at the table.

"Surely, My King," Ava began, as her eyes finally flickered up to meet Caspian's. "You are not suggesting that one should marry for beauty alone."

"I suggest nothing of the sort, fairest Princess. Aside from her beauty, I must also enjoy a lady's company. I must find her presence soothing when I need it to be, and fierce when I am lacking. She must be kind and gentle, yet strong and determined. She must know what she wants and where she stands in society, but she must not be afraid to speak her mind." Caspian unknowingly described many of the aspects of Ava that he had come to admire in the last three years. "For you see, what truly makes a lady beautiful in my eyes is not only her looks, but her character also."

"What you describe, one might say was love."

"And why should a King not be allowed to marry for love? I believe the love a man has for his wife could only deepen the love he has for his country."

"Now you speak like a poet," Ava teased.

"I do not mean to." Caspian smiled faintly. "I speak only from experience. I do not remember much of my parents, but I do know they loved each other. My uncle loved nothing but himself."

"And what does the Princess say?" Drinian asked after a brief pause. "Do you agree with His Kingship? Would you marry only for love?"

Caspian looked at Ava curiously, somewhat surprised to find himself eager to know her answer. Ava took a long sip of her cup before responding.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm not so sure that I will marry any one."

"You would choose to be unwed? I thought marriage and motherhood were the dreams of every lady."

"My King easily forgets that I am not like every lady. I am not like them at all." Ava said the last bit quietly to herself. When she noticed the curious looks from Caspian and Drinian, she proceeded to explain.

"I am a Naiad. Things are different with us. A Naiad does not often marry, for marriage is not required for a Naiad to have a child. Generally speaking, young Naiads are born only after an old Naiad has relinquished her spirit and her magic to the water. Her magic is then recycled into a new spirit."

"But some Naiads do marry?" Caspian pointed out.

"To a Naiad male, yes. Occasionally the connection between male and female Naiad is too strong to be ignored, as was the case with my parents. But even then, the father must relinquish his magic so the mother may have a child, for it is the mother who teaches the young Naiad how to wield her magic."

"So is the marriage between a Naiad and a human man impossible?" Drinian asked, carefully looking from Ava to Caspian.

"For the most part yes, but even in that I am different."

"What do you mean, my Lady?"

"I am the Princess. I can integrate myself with the dry land more easily than the other Naiads. They may come up for brief stints of time, but I can live years on land without the true need to replenish myself in the water. What's more, I've spent the majority of my life believing I was human. In some cases I almost feel more human than I do Naiad.

"And yet in my heart I feel the hearts of all Narnians. I know their fears and their desires. I feel their pain and their greatest joy. My magic draws me to them, while my head draws me to the world of man. I am caught between two worlds; I can have one, but not both. For me, the Naiad Princess, to marry a man is to forsake the Naiad magic, which holds so much of my heart. It is for this reason that I am not sure if I will marry.

"But know this, if ever I do wed a man, then he would be a great man indeed to have won my heart over." At this, Ava locked eyes with Caspian.

XOXOX

After leaving Galma, the _Dawn Treader_ sailed for Terebinthia. At first the Narnians were blessed with a steady westerly wind, but after about five hours the wind ceased and the men had to row. They took their time in the oar room in shifts, even Caspian and Drinian did their part. Only Ava and Reepicheep did not row, but that wasn't for a lack of trying; Reepicheep could not reach the floor when sat on the bench and Ava did not have the upper arm strength. Ava did her best to help the crew though, by giving several treatments of both icy and hot water to relax the crew's sore shoulders.

The calm lasted for nearly two days before the wind returned. On the fourth day from Galma, the _Dawn Treader_ came insight of Terebinthia, but she could not make port at the city for the King had sent word against it warning of a sickness in the land. So the crew rounded the cape and put in at a little creek. There they stayed for three days before catching the wind to the Seven Isles. During their time of rest though, Ava took great pleasure in swimming and replenishing her magic.

The sailing to the Seven Isles began as a peaceful trip with nice weather and a steady wind. To pass the time Ava and Caspian would do one of three things, duel each other, watch a duel, or play chess with Reepicheep; Ava never fared well in her chess matches and soon she only watched. On the third day Ava was watching a chess match between Caspian and Reepicheep in the State Room when Tavros suddenly came in a hurry.

"Sire, Lord Drinian has requested your presence on the High Deck. He says it's urgent."

"Sorry, Reep, but it looks as if we must put a pause on our game," Caspian said as he stood up.

"That is alright, Your Majesty," Reepicheep replied.

Ava and Reepicheep followed Caspian and Tavros out of the room. They climbed the stairs to the High Deck where Drinian was waiting at the stern. They could see the reason for the summons at once. A ship was following behind them.

"Do we know where she hails from?" Caspian asked. Drinian handed him a spyglass before replying.

"She looks to be Terebinthian, but I am uncertain; she isn't flying any colors. She is quickly gaining on us and will overtake us soon."

"What are you thinking, Drinian?" Caspian asked, not liking the cautious tone in Drinian's voice.

"Pirates, Sire."

"Pirates?" Ava questioned, astounded.

Caspian sighed. "Tavros, unlock the armory and tell the men to prepare arms."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Tavros replied before leaving.

"I say, let them come so that we may teach them the meaning of honor," Reepicheep said as he pulled out his sword.

"Ava, get below deck and stay there until it is safe," Caspian said, turning to her.

"Certainly not, Caspian. I will fight like every other crewman," Ava protested.

"Ava, we are not debating this. Get below deck and stay there. That's an order."

"I must agree with His Majesty, Princess," Drinian said as Caspian left. "It is not safe for you to be out here. Terebinthian Pirates are known for their ruthlessness."

"It will be no less safe for me than it will be for any other member of this crew. I can fight," Ava declared before storming off.

Ava went back to the Royal State Room, which had been serving as her quarters and not Caspian's, though he still kept his things there. Caspian was already in the cabin putting on some armor. As Caspian strapped Rhindon to his side, Ava too reached for her Dwarvin made blade and strapped it to her side.

"Ava…"

"I can fight Caspian!" Ava said cutting him off. "I can be of use, and I will do my role as part of this crew!"

Caspian said no more on the matter, as he turned to leave the room. Ava was braiding her hair to keep it out of her face when she heard a small click at the door. She dropped her hair and quickly went to the door. She tried turning the handles but they would not move.

"It's for your own good, Ava," Caspian said.

"Caspian! Open this door! Caspian!" Ava shouted and tried to turn the handles again but to no avail. "Caspian!"

Caspian had locked Ava in the State Room.

* * *

><p><strong>Huh! He didn't! Oh, but he did. How will Ava react? I suppose you'll just have to wait till Monday or Tuesday to find out ;)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Yeah, yeah. So I hardly ever actually update when I say I'm going to... at least I seem to be updating earlier than when I said...right? Usually I update sooner because finished a chapter and got really excited, today I update early because I've been feeling a bit depressed these past few hours and I need some cheering up. So to do that, I'm hoping to make you happy by posting the next chapter early, then hopefully your happiness will spread to me.**

**So I personally think that this chapter is sad but sweet, and I hope ya'll get that too. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 5**

Ava was livid!

Caspian did it! He actually did it! He locked her in the cabin, just as he told Dr. Cornelius he would.

Ava was furious! She could not believe he actually went through with it. She yelled out his name a few more times and tried to turn the handles. She even beat her palm against the door jam, but it was no use. No one came to let her out.

As she calmed down, she could hear Caspian and Drinian shouting orders. The siege had begun. Ava decided to tap into her Naiad powers and sense the Narnians on board so that she might better determine what was happening. As the Naiad Princess, Ava could tune into the Narnian's thoughts; it was how she knew if they were in danger or great distress. It worked best when their emotions were strong, such as in a battle, but it took a great deal of magic and she could only do it for a brief period of time.

Ava chose to focus her mind on the two Fauns, Voltinus and Mentius, because she knew Reepicheep's thoughts would overwhelm her and Tavros would be busy commanding. Ava felt free and light for half a second before being bombarded with emotions that weren't her own. The ship was indeed a Terebinthian pirate ship and it had already drawn up beside the _Dawn Treader_. Ava felt the Faun's concern as they unleashed another arrow; the pirate vessel was preparing to board. The Narnians were in danger!

Ava came back to herself angrier than ever. Her people needed her and Caspian had locked her in a cabin! She spun around with a grunt as she leaned her back against the doors. She stared out the glass doors to the balcony in front of her.

The balcony!

Caspian could not have locked those doors. Ava sprinted across the cabin to the balcony doors. She pulled the doors open and stepped out into the sunlight; as she did, she could hear the volley of arrows and commands more clearly. Ava knew she had to help out, but from the balcony there was only one way out and that was down.

Ava hurried back inside and removed her sword; it appeared she would not be using it after all. Next she quickly kicked off her shoes and set them by the bed. She stepped back onto the balcony, and with a deep breath she hoisted herself up on the ledge and jumped into the water below. It felt cool at first as it rushed over her body. Her clothes quickly became heavy and water logged and began to weigh her down, pulling her to the ocean floor, but once she let her magic take over she became weightless. She was no longer sinking in the water. She was the water.

XOXOX

Caspian stood amidst the crew on the main deck firing arrows at the Terebinthian vessel. The pirate ship had quickly caught up with the _Dawn Treader_ and came along her starboard side. The Narnians had not ceased their arrow attacks, and yet the enemy was not retreating. Caspian thought briefly of Ava as he reloaded his crossbow, and was thankful that she, at least, was safe.

Caspian looked back up in time to see the Terebinthian vessel drop wooden planks onto the side of the _Dawn Treader_.

"Do not let them board!" Caspian shouted as he rushed forth and tried to push one of the planks off. Caspian felt he put his whole strength into pushing but the plank would not budge. When Tavros lent his strength though, they managed to throw the plank over board together. Caspian knew there would be no way they would be able to push every plank off before they were boarded, but that did not keep him from trying.

Suddenly a wall of water rose up between the two ships and washed the planks, and any Terebinthian pirate on them, away. Just as that wall faded away, another wall arose and crashed down on the Terebinthian ship breaking one of its smaller masts and tearing the sail of the main mast. As that wall faded a great wave rose up between the ships and pushed them apart.

"I've never seen the sea act so strange, before," one of the crewmen said.

Caspian had!

"Ava," he muttered angrily through his teeth. Caspian hurried to the State Room and turned the key that was still in the door. He pulled open the doors and found all the evidence he needed. The balcony doors were open and the cabin was empty.

The balcony!

A continuous roll of waves arose between the _Dawn Treader_ and the Terebinthian pirate ship, pushing them in opposite directions. Before long the ships were out of range of arrows and soon after that the waves were only pushing the _Dawn Treader_.

"It's Lady Ava!" one of the crewmen shouted. "Huzzah! It's Lady Ava!"

Caspian stepped back out onto the main deck, anger boiling inside him, as thunderous applause and joyous cheering broke out amongst the crew. They cheered Ava's name and sang her praises.

"I thought you locked her in the cabin?" Drinian questioned as he came up beside Caspian.

"She jumped off the balcony," Caspian replied through his teeth as he tried to keep his anger in check.

"Well, she was quite determined to fight. I suppose she found a way to get what she wanted after all," Drinian responded with a glint of knowing in his eyes. Caspian, however, did not find it amusing.

XOXOX

Ava remained in the water awhile, swimming alongside the _Dawn Treader_. She felt the Narnians' joy and the heard cries of praise from the men. She waved at them and giggled before dashing to swim ahead for awhile.

Ava loved the feeling she had when she swam. Freedom. Absolute freedom. There were no pressures or tiresome burdens, no worries or obligations; Ava's mind was completely free. In true Naiad form, Ava was weightless. She gave herself over to her magic and became one with the water. A crewman had described her appearance back at the cape on Terebinthia. He said she was a beautiful, translucent maiden with a body as clear and as blue as the water in which she swam. The man had been trying to gain her favor, having been enchanted by her magic, but Ava could only giggle in response to his compliment before swimming off. She was truly carefree.

Ava finally decided to return to the ship after what she thought was only a few minutes, but really was closer to an hour. Ava rose up to the side of the ship on a funnel of water and sat on the railing with her feet dangling over the water. Rynelf, one of the crewmen, had seen her emerging and quickly came over to assist her on board. He held out his hands, which she gladly accepted as she swung her feet around, and helped her step down from the rail.

"Thank you , Rynelf," Ava said.

"It was my pleasure, Lady Ava. And might I extend, on behalf of the crew, our thanks. You were brilliant back there and a great help."

"Thank you, Rynelf, but really it was nothing. I was only doing what little I could to help. I only wished I could have come sooner. I hope no one was severely injured?"

"No, my Lady, all are fine. Their arrows were weak against our shields."

"I am glad to hear it," Ava said as her eyes began to roam over the deck.

As Ava looked around she saw that there was hardly any damage at all, and her heart remained light. That is, until she saw Caspian. He was standing just outside the doors to the State Room, his arms folded over his chest. His face bore an expression of anger so great that Ava had not seen one like it before. His eyes were dark and hard; his stance was stiff. He looked as angry as she felt when she realized she had been locked in. Without a word or a signal of any kind, Caspian turned on his heels and walked inside; Ava knew she was meant to follow.

"It would appear that not everyone is as pleased with my actions as you are, Rynelf," Ava said warily.

"His Majesty is a wise King. In time he too will come to realize your value."

"Thank you, Rynelf."

"Good luck, Lady Ava," he said with a nod. Ava smiled her thanks once more before following after Caspian.

XOXOX

Caspian and Ava were in the Royal State room arguing for several minutes. Sometimes their voices were raised and sometimes they were hard whispers. Ava was angry because it seemed that Caspian had so little faith in her. Caspian was angry because Ava had blatantly refused his order yes, but more so because she didn't seem to realize how dangerous the situation could have been. He tried to explain this to her but he could not seem to find the correct words and his frustrations only made him angrier. And it seemed, that the angrier he became the more he yelled, and the more he yelled the angrier Ava became as she grew determined to defend her actions.

After several minutes of heated words in which neither party wanted to cave, Caspian stormed out of the State Room while Ava formed a ball on the floor and expressed her frustrations through unyielding tears.

XOXOX

Several hours passed and Ava remained in the State Room. She tried sleeping, but every time she closed her eyes she replayed the fight with Caspian. They had fought on multiple occasions before, but it had never gotten as bad as it had that afternoon. There were several times when Ava walked out onto the balcony and nearly jumped off again, ready to return to Narnia, but something always seemed to stop her.

Ava was thankful that the emotional link she could form with the Narnians was only a one way thing and that they could not sense her distress. In her loneliness Ava had become so depressed that she did not realize how hungry she was until the Faun Mentius brought her a tray of dinner.

XO

There was a soft knock on the door. Ava stood up from where she had been laying on the bed and smoothed out her dress. She opened the doors a small crack, big enough only to see who stood on the other side. When she saw that it was Mentius with a tray of food, Ava opened the doors wider and allowed him to enter.

"You did not come to dinner, Princess. I thought you might be hungry."

"Thank you, Mentius." Ava's voice was scratchy from yelling and crying all afternoon. "You may place it on the table there."

Ava followed behind the Faun as he walked the short distance to the table. Ava only stared down at the food. She was hungry, but she did not think she could eat. Mentius went back to the door, but turned and watched her carefully before leaving. He may not have been able to sense her emotions as he knew she could sense his, but her despair was written plainly on her face.

"Voltinus has taken His Majesty's dinner down to him," Mentius said hesitantly.

Ava raised her head, but did not look at him. "Caspian didn't go to dinner either?"

"No. After leaving here, he retreated to his cabin below deck, and he has not been seen since.

Ava was silent for a minute or two before she turned her eyes to the Faun. "Thank you for my food, Mentius."

Ava pulled out a chair and sat at the table, while Mentius insisted it was his pleasure and left, leaving Ava alone with her thoughts once more.

XOXOX

Ava walked down the ladder to the lower decks as quietly as possible. The moon had been out for a few hours now and most of the men were asleep. She reached the bottom and turned around, coming face to face with a man's chest. She began to let out a startled gasp before the man's hand quickly clasped over her mouth and silenced her. She looked up into the, once more, warm eyes of Caspian. He placed a finger over his own mouth before pointing up; Ava nodded.

Caspian silently moved around Ava and climbed the ladder. Ava followed behind. Caspian held his hand out to help Ava up when she neared the top and she gladly accepted. With her hand still clasped in his, Caspian led her back to the State Room. Neither spoke a word for several minutes. Unable to face Ava just yet, he turned his eyes to the painting of a woman just beside the door as he gathered his thoughts. Ava had noticed the painting before and she had noticed Caspian staring at it before, but Ava had not been able to bring herself to ask who the woman was; until now.

"Who is she?" Ava asked barely above a whisper. For moment she thought Caspian hadn't heard her because he had not responded. When at last he did, he spoke just as quietly as Ava had.

"My mother." His voice had a hint of sadness to it as well.

"She was very beautiful."

"Yes, she was. You remind me of her," Caspian said, looking her way finally.

"How so?"

"She too was very strong willed."

Ava glanced to the floor bashfully.

"She did not take an opinion on many things," Caspian continued, "but what she did, she fought for passionately. It was her idea to hire Nurse for me." Nurse had been Caspian's caretaker before Ava's father, and it was she who first told stories of Old Narnia to Caspian. "And I think she knew of the stories Nurse told me."

"Why do you say that?"

"It is just a feeling I have. The way she would look at me sometimes, as if she knew."

"How old were you, when…"

"I was seven when she died. I was too young when father died to remember much of him, but I have always remembered mother."

Ava and Caspian fell silent once more, and then, as if out of nowhere…

"I'm sorry," they said at the same time. Ava smiled.

"I'm sorry, Caspian. I should not have disobeyed your orders."

"And if you hadn't we would have been boarded by pirates and we would be much worse off than we are now. The truth of the matter is, you saved us Ava and for that we—I owe you my thanks. I know the crew has already given you theirs. I too am sorry. I should not have yelled at you."

"I yelled as well, and for that I apologize."

"I also apologize for locking you in the cabin. But you must know, that I didn't do it because I didn't believe in you or because I didn't trust you. I did it because I care a great deal about you, Ava, and I did it to keep you safe, for the Narnians. I have seen the way they look at you. You have given them so much hope and so much joy.

"You are their Princess, Ava. I fully believe that I was only able to restore peace so easily because you believed in me, and the Narnians believed in you. They would do anything you ask them to, even put their faith in a Telmarine King to keep his promises."

Ava shook her head in protest. "You had their trust long before I was their Princess, Caspian. I played no part in restoring peace."

Now Caspian began to shake his head. "Ava, you have always been their Princess. If you do not believe me, then ask my former horse, Destrier."

Ava smiled weakly. "Does this mean we're friends again?" she asked after a slight pause.

"Ava, I really hope that you did not believe a simple disagreement could ruin our friendship?"

Ava let her head drop as she hid her face.

Caspian lifted her chin with his hands. "Ava?"

"Sometimes I am like any other Lady, Caspian, and I doubt."

Caspian pulled Ava to his body as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on the top of hers. Ava slowly returned the embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You should never doubt my feelings for you, Ava. They are too strong to ever falter. No matter what happens, you will always be my greatest companion."

Caspian pulled back slightly and saw a tear escape Ava's watery eyes. Without hesitation he moved his hand to her cheek and wiped the tear away with his thumb. His hand remained pressed softly against her face and she nuzzled into it. Her eyes closed gently as she flushed at his tender touch, her body swelling with heat. She did not know how Caspian could not have felt it.

Caspian swallowed hard and his body burned with a fire as Ava nuzzled her face into his palm, her lips brushing lightly over his skin. He had been aching to feel the softness of those pink lips again, ever since that ever too brief kiss he had received on Galma. But she was the Naiad Princess. How could he ever compete with the Narnians for her affection?

He dropped his hand and took a step back, breaking what was left of their embrace and putting distance between their bodies. Ava's eyes snapped open at the sudden departure, and for a brief second, Caspian thought she looked hurt. She masked it with a yawn though.

"You used a lot of magic today?" he asked. Ava nodded. "And I am certain you received no rest this afternoon."

"My mind would not let me, though I tried."

"Neither would mine. And you cannot sleep while I am here, so I shall you leave you now. Good night, Ava."

"Good night, Caspian," Ava said with another yawn.

Caspian wanted to hug her once more before parting, but feared that if he did he would not be able to pull away. So he settled for a small nod instead, and left Ava alone in her quarters.

* * *

><p><strong>BTW: I saw the new Pirates movie today (On Stranger Tides). It was good, but not as good as the first 3! The new eye candy "Philip" was decent enough, but he was no Will Turner (or King Caspian ;) )! I'll still buy the DVD and watch it several times though.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**The Naiad Trilogy**

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 6**

The next two weeks passed without incident. Things quickly returned to normal between Caspian and Ava—for the most part at least. For reasons she couldn't comprehend, Ava could not stop thinking about Caspian. She thought repeatedly on how he had held her close to his chest after their fight. She had heard his life beating inside him, and she had felt a happiness far greater than any she had ever felt before. She thought about the tenderness of his touch, and she longed to feel it again. She thought of the warmth of his eyes and how they seemed to melt her from within. And she thought about his lips, how they would rise when he smiled, and her lips, how they felt against his cheek, and their lips together, how it would feel if they pressed together. These thoughts disturbed her most of all. She wasn't like other girls. She was the Naiad Princess.

Ava had these thoughts both night and day. At night she could not fight them, but in the day she did all she could to make sure no one knew.

XOXOX

Just as the sun began to set on the fifth day since the pirate attack, the _Dawn Treader_ reached the island of Brenn and made port at Redhaven. There the Narnians feasted like kings—and queen—for three days. Everyone enjoyed their stay at Redhaven much more than they had Galma. There were no pompous lords trying to win Ava's heart, and there were no young daughters coming between Ava and Caspian; though, there were still many lords and ladies infatuated with the duo.

On the morning of the fourth day, the _Dawn Treader_ unfurled its giant purple sail and left for the Lone Islands. Before they parted, Princess Tianna had bestowed upon Ava several gifts including a new dress, a new sailing outfit, and several copies of well loved Redhaven fairy tales. The days that passed as they sailed for the Lone Islands were long and uneventful. As they had before, Caspian and Ava found ways to entertain themselves through dueling, playing chess, and Ava had even begun reading. Five days had come and gone in such a manner, and the sixth began as any other. The sun was bright and the wind was steady and strong, so strong that Ava had to read her book in her cabin.

Ava had just reached one of the most exiting parts she had come to yet when a great ruckus broke out on the main deck. She tried to ignore it and go about her reading; she knew if there was trouble someone would have come to tell her, but the commotion only grew louder. When Ava realized that she had restarted the same paragraph five times, she decided it was time to figure out what was going on. She still didn't want to pause her reading, so she carefully walked to the doors with her nose buried in the book. Somehow she managed to open both sets of doors and step out onto the main deck. She placed her finger at the end of her paragraph before speaking.

"What is all…"

"Ava!"

"…this excite—umph," Ava grunted as she was cut off mid sentence by someone slamming into her chest and wrapping their arms around her.

Ava looked up from her book, startled, and the first thing her eyes found was Caspian. His clothes were drenched, his arms were folded over his chest, and he had one of the broadest smiles she had ever seen. He was breath taking, but then she noticed who stood next to him. It was someone who had not been with the crew when they started, but now that he was here Ava knew there was no way the crew could have been complete without him.

"Edmund!" Ava exclaimed before looking down at the person wrapped around her waist. "Lucy!" Ava quickly closed her book, not caring about losing her place now, and embraced her friend. "You've returned! Oh how I have prayed I'd live to see this day!"

"And now you have!" Lucy exclaimed as she pulled back, a broad smile on her face. "I'm sorry, I've gotten your dress all wet."

"Since when has a little water ever harmed a Naiad?"

"It's good to see you, Ava," Edmund said as she walked over to him.

"And it is good to see you," Ava replied as she hugged him. Ava hadn't even noticed their other visitor until he began shouting from the other side of the deck; he must have been the one Ava heard.

*"I demand to know, just where in the blazes am I?"*

"Oh, you've brought a friend," Ava said quietly to Lucy. Tavros responded to the boy's question while Caspian walked over to him.

"He's our cousin Eustace," Lucy replied.

"Oh my, will he be alright?" Ava asked as the boy suddenly fainted.

"If we're lucky he'll remain like that the entire trip," Edmund said under his breath, but Lucy still heard him.

"Edmund!" she scolded just as Caspian came back and clapped his hands on their shoulders before rushing up the stairs to address the crew.

"Men," Caspian began, but when he paused Ava coughed softly. "And Ava," he added as his eyes darted over to her; Ava smile innocently. "Behold our castaways, Edmund the Just, and Lucy the Valiant, King and Queen of Old!"

All the crew members dropped to one knee in honor of Lucy and Edmund, and Ava dipped into a low curtsey, for which she received a glare from Lucy who clearly did not approve.

"Come," Ava said rising back up. "The four…" Ava glanced over her shoulder at Eustace who was still lying on the wooden deck, "…three of you should change into some dry clothes, before you fall ill."

Caspian jumped down to the main deck from the step on which he stood, and headed to the State Room. Ava ushered Edmund and Lucy along after him and brought up the rear herself. Lucy and Edmund walked through the double doors side by side. Lucy let out a gasp of surprise as she looked around at all the paintings while Edmund's smile grew.

"It sort of takes your breath away doesn't it?" Ava asked.

"It's incredible," Lucy commented. "Aslan," she said as she saw the golden Lion's head, and then "Susan's horn?" she questioned as she saw a lion mouthed ivory horn on the shelf below.

"A replica," Caspian corrected, leaning against a cabinet. "The real horn is at Cair Paravel with my Lord Regent, Trumpkin, should he need to call for help."

"Trumpkin," Lucy said wistfully as she remembered her dear little friend.

"The horn may not be real, Luce, but those are definitely Susan's bow and arrows," Edmund said as he pointed them out."

Ava didn't think Lucy's smile could get any bigger, but it did when Caspian suddenly pulled out a small chest containing her healing cordial and dagger. As Lucy was running her hands over the diamond bottle, Edmund spotted Peter's sword resting against the wall. Caspian offered to let him hold it, but Edmund refused, insisting that Peter had given it to Caspian. Then Caspian reached into another cabinet and tossed something to Edmund that did belong to him, his strange and curious torch. Edmund pushed a button and blinked in surprise as the light turned on in his eyes.

"It still works," he said.

"Alright," Ava said interrupting their exploring. "I really think you three should change now. Here Lucy, I believe these will fit you." Ava reached into one of the wardrobe drawers and pulled out a pair of pants, a shirt, and a vest. "I'd offer you one of my dresses, but I'm afraid they'd be too long."

"That's alright. I've always preferred pants when sailing anyways," Lucy said as she accepted the clothing.

"I think I have an extra pair of boots that will fit you too."

Meanwhile, Caspian had grabbed some dry clothes for him and Edmund, and moved back to the doors.

"We'll change upstairs. Meet us in the Map Room when you're ready," Caspian said to Ava; she nodded in response and smiled as the boys left the cabin.

Lucy glanced at her friend; the look Ava and Caspian had shared had not gone unnoticed by her. "So, should I be addressing you as Queen soon?"

"What?" Ava asked.

Lucy just cast Ava another look as she began to change.

"Caspian and I are just friends, Lucy, nothing more."

"Oh?" Maybe Lucy had been mistaken, but then why did she detect a hint of sadness in Ava's voice. "Well, does he have a queen waiting for him at the Cair?"

"No, Caspian has been too busy to even think of finding a queen." Ava began to brush through Lucy's wet hair. "The Duke of Galma was rather hoping to change that, as did his imprudent daughter, but thankfully Caspian was able to remain reasonable while in her presence."

"Do I detect a bit of disdain? Did you not get along well with the Duke's daughter?"

Ava sighed. "At first I thought I could, but then she—she changed, or something. I don't know. I guess it just wasn't a friendship that was meant to be, unlike ours."

"Oh how unfortunate," Lucy said.

Ava finished brushing Lucy's hair and pulled it into a side ponytail, tying it off with a strap of leather. Ava hung Lucy's wet clothes out on the balcony to dry while Lucy put on her boots. The two girls then joined Caspian and Edmund in the Map Room as requested; Drinian was there as well. There, Caspian explained to them the reason behind their voyage: to find the seven missing Lords of Narnia.

"As king, it is my duty to find out what happened to them," Caspian finished explaining with a sigh as he leaned against the table.

"Don't worry, Caspian, we will find them," Ava comforted as she rubbed a hand on his shoulder. "Especially now that we have the aid of a King and Queen of Old," she added with a laugh.

"And how exciting that is!" Caspian exclaimed as he turned around.

"Yes, it is. How exactly did that happen by the way? I seemed to have missed all the excitement there."

"We were in our cousin's house and there was a painting of a ship, of this ship. Ed and I were just staring at it when it began to move and the water poured out of it, filling the room. We swam to the surface and found ourselves in the ocean, next to the ship," Lucy explained.

"How fascinating."

"Where were you, by the way? I don't know how you couldn't have heard Eustace's screaming," Edmund said.

"She probably had her nose buried in one of those books of hers. She's been at it for days," Caspian said with mock exasperation.

"They were a gift from Princess Tianna and they are very thrilling. And what else am I to do? To be quite frank, I have grown weary of always beating you in our duels, and I doubt I'll ever master the art of chess," Ava defended.

"Always beating me? You only win occasionally because you cheat."

"It's not cheating to use every resource available to you."

"It is when one of those resources is controlling water to use it against your opponent."

"The fact that you can't control water, Caspian, is not my problem. It's just one of the perks of being the Naiad Princess."

Edmund and Lucy looked back and forth at each other while Caspian and Ava had their playful banter.

"Do they do this often?" Edmund asked Drinian.

"Unfortunately for me, yes," the captain replied.

"We do not," Caspian and Ava protested at the same time; Lucy giggled.

"Come on, Ava, you and I have so much to catch up on," Lucy said as she grabbed her friend's hand and began to pull her towards the door.

"Right, that we do. Oh but wait," Ava paused as she bent down to pick up Caspian and Edmund's wet clothes. "First I must hang these out so that they can dry."

"Oh, and I suppose I must go and see to Eustace. Seasickness is a terrible thing."

"I'll find you on deck in…five minutes?"

"And then you'll tell me everything."

And so the girls left the Map room and parted ways…briefly.

XOXOX

It took Ava a little more than five minutes to reunite with Lucy, because after Ava hung up the boys' clothes, she decided to change dresses; hers had gotten uncomfortably wet handling the clothes. Ava exchanged her sand-toned dress for a simple, yet stunning red dress. The red dress was made of flax linen and it was short sleeved, but Ava's arms were covered by the long sleeves of her white underdress. The neckline, sleeves, and skirt hem were bordered with a three inch trim made of intricate swirls and shapes in red, gold, and blue. There was a matching belt which Ava wore high on her waist; the belt was tied together with a golden cord that reached down the length of her dress.

When Ava and Lucy did reunite, it was at the forecastle; Lucy had just climbed down from the dragon's head where she had been speaking with Reepicheep. They sat on the stairs leading down to the main deck and quickly entered into a long conversation. Lucy was very interested in what Ava had been up to and asked her many questions. Likewise, Ava asked Lucy to share about her world and what was happening there.

Ava and Lucy's story time came to an end as Caspian and Edmund began to duel. The two girls made their way to the edge of the crowd so that they might see the duel better. The duel was exhilarating. There was hardly a moment when the two swords were not ringing together. The crew had all gathered around to watch and were cheering and laughing loudly. They had not seen a duel this good in a while. Both kings were moving swiftly and fluidly, striking high and then ducking low as a sword passed over their head. The duel lasted for several minutes, both kings working up a sheen of sweat, before the blades seemed to stick together. Edmund and Caspian both swirled their swords, pushing and pulling, each trying to break the other's grasp. At last the duel ended when Caspian and Edmund landed in mirrored positions with their blade resting against the other's chest.

Throughout the duel, Ava could not peel her eyes away from Caspian, and she could not get her thoughts under control. The way he moved with such agility, the gleam in his eyes, and the mirth on his face, it was all too much for Ava to bear. Like a Faun to his flute, a Dwarf to his hammer—a Naiad to her water—Ava could not keep away from Caspian. She quickly grabbed two cups and filled them with water from the barrel nearby. She handed one to Edmund as he came nearer and took the other to find Caspian.

After the duel, Drinian had ordered the men back to work, and Caspian had taken the two swords to the State Room. He laid them on the table as he entered and then stepped onto the balcony to wipe the sweat from his face off on one of the towels. He did not know Ava had followed him until she spoke.

"It appears that you have been holding back when we duel."

Caspian laughed. He turned around to face her only to have his breath was taken away. She had changed since he last saw her and the red dress she wore looked stunning on her. It contrasted perfectly with her skin. Her face glowed with her smile, and her eyes shimmered. She was beautiful, in every sense of the word. Caspian had to struggle to get his bearings again before speaking.

"Only a little, though, that's the thing. Truly Ava, you have become a great swordsman…swords-madien…you have become very skilled with the sword."

It was Ava's turn to laugh. "Thank you. Here, I brought you some water, and I've chilled it for you."

"Just what I need, thank you."

Ava held out the cup for him with both hands as he came nearer. As he reached for it his fingers brushed over hers and sent her heart fluttering. It was just a hint of the touch she'd been longing for, and not nearly enough to satisfy, but it would have to do.

"Very refreshing Ava, thank you."

"You're very welcome, Caspian." There was a momentary pause as they gazed into each other's eyes. "So, I suppose we should be getting back out there before our guests come looking for us."

"Yes, yes I suppose we should." Caspian walked over to the door and opened it for Ava. "After you, my Lady," he said with a bow.

"Oh that is quite enough of that, Your Highness."

Caspian smiled and poked Ava in the side as she walked by; she squealed with laughter as she tried to squirm away from him.

"And there will certainly be none of that," she added as she walked though the second set of doors.

XOXOX

When Ava and Caspian stepped out onto the main deck it was to find that Eustace had finally come out. He was talking to his cousin's and Reepicheep when Ava and Caspian approached, and he did not notice them approaching. Ava noticed that Eustace must have just said something amusing, because Edmund and Lucy were laughing, or rather trying not to laugh. Reepicheep responded with something that Ava couldn't quite make out, but it caused Eustace to suddenly erupt with anger.

*"I'll have you know, as soon as we find civilization I'm contacting the British Consul have you all arrested for kidnapping!"*

Caspian seemed to find this rather amusing and stepped forth quietly. Eustace was not looking where he was going and thus bumped into Caspian.

*"Kidnapping is it?"* Caspian asked. *"That's funny; I thought we saved your life."*

Eustace proceeded to proclaim that he had been held against his will, which Ava knew to be complete nonsense. Though he spoke poorly of his surroundings, Ava could admire the passion and intensity with which he spoke. There was a great strength there, if only he could learn to use it for the good.

Ava was caught off guard and disheartened though, when Eustace suddenly proclaimed, *"It's like a—it's like a zoo down there!"*

"A zoo?" she questioned angrily as she stepped up next to Caspian. She wasn't quite sure what a zoo was, but from the tone of his voice she knew it wasn't a compliment. Eustace turned to her in surprise. His eyes grew wide and his lips parted slightly, as if noticing her for the first time.

"My dear boy, I do hope you are not referring to the company in which you were kept. I do not take lightly any who would speak ill of Narnians." Ava knew that Voltinus had been one of the ones assigned to watch over Eustace.

"I…I…I…" Eustace stuttered; he was at a loss for words.

"He seems to have lost his ability to speak," Reepicheep said.

"Surely surprised by Ava's beauty," Caspian explained.

"I imagine that has happened to many men who have come across her," Edmund added with a smile. Ava blushed under their compliments.

"I'm sure she wishes a certain lord had lost the ability to speak," Lucy said referring, of course, to the Lord Peddelton; Ava had told her all about Galma earlier.

"Who's that?" Edmund asked curiously.

"Uh," Ava grunted as she made a displeased face. "It's a long story. One I do not wish to relive at the moment."

"Nor do I," Caspian said. This made Ava smile and she glanced up at him to see that he too was smiling and looking down at her.

Their silent moment was interrupted as a crewman called out from the fighting-top, "Land ho!"

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! There it is. The moment you've all been waiting for...well, one of the moments at least ;) As before, the little * indicates direct quotes, in this case from the movie. <strong>

**And yes, I know, in the movie Caspian introduces Edmund and Lucy as the High King and Queen, but that it is WRONG! my dear friends. Just because Peter and Susan can't return to Narnia, does not mean that Edmund is "promoted" to High King. Peter is and always will be the High King of Narnia. Every time I see the movie I beg Caspian not to say it and I cringe when he does. ... Ok, end of rant. Sorry, I just had to get that out there.**

**So, Ava's feelings are growing a little stronger now... wonder where that's going to get her?**

**For any one interested, I have posted a few pictures of Ava's clothing (this red dress in particular) on my profile. Feel free to check it out. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!  
><strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**WARNING:** The next three chapters will be fairly dark, especially chapter 8. They are all much darker than the book, and (I think) slightly darker than the movie. So be prepared, especially for chapter 8. I tried to not make it too dark, but if it is, please let me know so I can see what I can do about it.

As usual, the little ***** indicates direct quotes, in this case from the movie. For the next three chapters I literally watched, paused, rewound, and watched in slow motion the following scenes to get everything just right. I won't do that for everything, I promise, but some lines are just too good to pass up. Like Eustace's _"I've got it! I've got it! Don't worry!"_ HAHA. That just cracks me up every time; he's so serious when he says it.

Also, I did a few things to correct some stuff. I noticed, that many people seemed to be confused as to why they took Eustace onto the Lone Islands when they themselves were suspicious of it; well, I've given them a reason to bring him along. Also, I did not like the fact that Caspian gave away that he was King, he never should have done that. So he doesn't (read on to find out why though ;) )

That's all for now. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 7**

Ava and Lucy joined Caspian and Edmund on the main deck; they all had swords strapped to their sides, and Caspian had a crossbow on his back. The land that had been spotted was the Lone Islands, but its appearance put Caspian on edge. The Lone Islands had been a territory of Narnia for nearly two centuries, but Narnia had not heard from them or received their monetary tribute for several years. And now, Caspian could not see a Narnian flag anywhere on the island. A small party had been put together to go ashore. Caspian turned to Ava as she approached.

"Is there any chance you'll just stay here?" he asked hopefully. Ava just stared at him. He sighed. "That's what I feared. Promise me you'll be careful."

"Caspian, I'll be fine," Ava assured him as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He smiled weakly. They were about to board the long boats when Eustace walked over and joined them.

"Where do you think you're going?" Edmund asked.

"I'm not staying on this blasted ship!" Eustace exclaimed.

"Pardon me?" Ava asked.

"I mean…uh— please, you can't just leave me here!" he practically begged. There was an intense pause while they all looked at each other.

Ava sighed. "Maybe the boy should come with us."

"Ava?" Caspian questioned.

"Maybe it will do him good; he'll see that he really isn't in his world anymore."

"What do you think Caspian?" Edmund asked, turning to his friend.

"He's your family, Ed. It's your decision," Caspian replied. Ava gave Edmund a pleading look.

"You stay with us," Edmund finally instructed Eustace. "Don't wander off."

Caspian, Edmund, Eustace, Lucy, Ava, Reepicheep and four crewmen filled one long boat, while Drinian, Kobar the Minotaur, and five other crewmen filled the other. Tavros and the remaining crew members stayed on board. The two long boats rowed to shore as quietly as they could. Reepicheep was the first to jump ashore when they reached the docks; his excitement was too much to contain. Caspian was next, closely followed by Edmund. Both kings then turned to Lucy and Ava to help them out while the crew secured the boats to the dock.

Lucy was the first to point out the eerie silence that surrounded them.

*"Where is everyone?"* she asked. The group fell silent for a moment as they looked around, but that silence was broken when Eustace stumbled out of the boat.

"Do him some good, you say?" Edmund whispered skeptically as he looked at Ava.

"Give him a chance, Edmund. He might surprise you," she whispered back before following Caspian up the stairs.

As Caspian moved toward the ramp leading into the walled city, he pulled his crossbow from his back and held it before him. There was something wrong on this island. It was much too quiet; Narrowhaven was supposed to be a bustling port city that served as a center for trade and commerce. The port city now, showed no signs of life apart from the stray gull that squawked overhead.

DONG!

A bell rang from inside the city walls, scattering a flock of crows and sending a chill down Ava's spine. Caspian quickly raised his bow towards the sound and Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep all drew their swords; Ava, however, did not. Everyone looked around for the source, but saw nothing.

*"Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place,"* Caspian ordered. *"We'll head on. If we don't come by dawn…send a party."*

*"Yes, Your Majesty,"* Reepicheep replied as he sheathed his sword and scurried over to Drinian.

Caspian led the way through the stone city with Ava and Lucy close behind him, while Edmund and Eustace brought up the rear. Everywhere they went the cold grey stones were silent. There was no one out on the street. There was no one anywhere to be seen. The cold silence churned Ava's stomach and chilled her to the bone. The dimming light of day did nothing to help ease the feeling of impending doom that was growing within.

They reached what appeared to be a stone wall with tall iron doors set in the middle. There were a couple of drain holes to the right of the doors; the wall beneath them had been stained brown from tainted water. Caspian, Edmund, Ava, and Lucy approached the doors with caution. They all thought Eustace was right behind them, until they heard him shouting from across the street. They turned to find him standing near a house of sorts, claiming nobody was in and that perhaps they should be heading back now. They knew they couldn't leave yet.

*"Do you want to come here and...guard…something?"* Edmund suggested. Eustace accepted the task and quickly ran over. Ava, Caspian and Lucy all exchanged wary glances. They were about to head through the doors when Ava nudged Caspian softly.

"Caspian," Ava said whispered. "If the boy is to guard, shouldn't he have a weapon of sorts?"

"I'm not sure what good it will do," Caspian whispered back quietly before walking over to Eustace and handing him a dagger. Eustace looked at the dagger and blinked several times, not quite knowing what to do with it.

*"I've got it. I've got it. Don't worry,"* Eustace assured them before turning around to watch the road. Somehow, Eustace's words didn't provide any comfort to Ava.

The iron doors groaned and creaked as the four them stepped inside. Caspian and Edmund flanked Ava and Lucy on instinct. Caspian still held his crossbow before him and Edmund and Lucy still had their swords in hand. Ava kept her sword in its sheath on her hip, but her hand rested on the hilt in wary precaution.

Ava looked about the room as they entered. There were ancient statues on either side creating an aisle down the center. Giant iron bells and knotted ropes hung from the rafters; this was the bell tower that had called them. Ava looked over the rafters with a little more attention. There were many dark corners in which someone could easily hide if they wanted to. Ava did not at all like the knot which had formed in her stomach.

In the center of the room was a lone circular structure, beckoning them forward. As they approached Ava stayed between the two kings, she knew it was safest there. Edmund withdrew his torch and shinned its light on the structure. Ava saw now that it looked like the remnants of an old well that had long since been drained dry and boarded up. It was now covered with piles of books and parchments.

They all stepped onto the platform on which the old well sat and looked down at the only open book. The pages were split into five columns: Name, Age, Sex, Buyer, and Crescents. Both pages were full. Many of the names had red lines through them.

*"Who are all these people?"* Lucy voiced what they were all thinking.

*"Why have they been crossed out?"* Edmund wondered.

*"It looks like some kind of… fee."* Lucy added. Ava thought on this for a moment. She remembered something her father had told her once, before the departed the Cair.

"A fee? Or a price?" Ava wondered aloud, not liking the conclusion she was coming to. Then Caspian confirmed what she feared.

*"Slave traders."*

Suddenly the bells began to ring and men began to slide down the ropes and come out from the dark corners of the tower. Ava fell frozen with fear. Her sword training had really only been in theory. She had never actually fought someone before; unless you counted that time in the armory of the castle at Beaver's Dam three years ago, which she didn't. Would she be able to fight someone now?

"Ava, look out!" Caspian shouted, freeing her from her fear.

Ava gripped her sword hilt tightly and pulled it from the sheath. She spun on the spot, the skirt of her red dress swirling about her ankles, and raised her sword just in time to block an attack. She was past pondering if she could fight; now, she had no choice. Ava put into practice everything that Caspian had taught her. She kept her sword up, never letting it drop to her side. She used the follow through of one attack as momentum for the next. And she attacked with all she had, knowing that the smallest mistake could end in a fatal disaster for her, or, more importantly, her friends. She could not let that happen.

"AHHHH!"

There was a scream so terrifying that everyone immediately stopped fighting and turned to the iron doors to find the source of the scream. Ava's heart plummeted. A slaver had caught Eustace and held him from behind with the dagger Caspian had given him at his throat. Ava had never felt more horrible; she knew this was her fault. Eustace would still be on the safety of the _Dawn Treader_ if it weren't for her.

The slaver stepped into the tower with Eustace, and slammed the door behind him. He ordered them to drop their weapons, and when they did not react immediately, he threatened Eustace. Ava could not let the boy pay for her mistake, so she quickly dropped her sword. As the other slavers came forward and began to place chains around their wrists, Ava looked about her. Caspian was the closest one to her and he had his eyes focused on her. She could see the clouds of worry swimming in his ocean of brown. He seemed to be thinking only of what would happen to her.

Ava's eyes flickered over to Lucy, who was struggling with her captors, and suddenly she understood Caspian's worry. Ava knew, with a sinking feeling, what scum like slavers would do with a young, beautiful girl like Lucy. She could not let that happen to her friend. Ava had to keep their attention away from Lucy no matter what it meant for her. After all, Lucy was a Queen of Old; Ava was just the Naiad Princess, a Narnian like any other, in service to her Kings and Queens. Ava took a deep breath, gathering up all her strength and courage, and began fighting against her captors.

"Unhand me you fools!" she royally commanded. "Do you not know who I am? I am Princess Ava!" The room seemed to fall silent once more as all eyes turned to her. Ava held her head high and squared her shoulders, putting ground to her claim.

"What's that? A princess you say?" the salver holding Eustace said; he seemed to be the one in charge. He looked at Ava's companions with skepticism in his eyes. "And am I to believe that this is your royal guard?"

"Indeed," she replied with her most royal and authoritative voice. "And I command you to release us at once on pain of death."

The man chuckled at her command. "Am I also to believe then, that they allow little girls onto the royal guard?" He pointed to Lucy and smirked; his followers laughed. Ava didn't let it discourage her though, and replied with a smugness of her own.

"Surely you do not think that a Princess would travel anywhere without her trusty lady's-maid." From the corner of her eye, Ava could see Lucy already playing her part as she held her head low in the manner of a servant. The slaver's eyes hardened but his smirk remained.

"Come forth," he instructed as he lazily tossed Eustace over to another slaver.

"Please, my Lady, _don't_ do this," Caspian insisted as he fought against his restraints.

Ava glanced at Caspian briefly and saw a pleading look in his eyes; she knew that his simple request was really a command of its own, but she chose not to listen and hoped he would forgive her later. She shook off her captors and regally stepped forward to where the slaver stood waiting. He said nothing at first, but took his time and circled her, looking her over like a collector of fine jewels inspecting his latest piece. Ava stood her ground and waited.

"A princess indeed," he said at last, a lustful growl in his throat. "What is your purpose here?"

"Ours is a peaceful mission of our own business. Release us now and I will plead with My King to spare the life of your men."

"And what of my life?"

"I'm afraid My King will show no mercy to the man responsible for my bonds. Now, release us." Ava held her wrists out for the slaver to unlock the chains binding her hands. His smirk widened, showing his nearly toothless mouth.

"You think I fear your King?" he sneered, breathing in her face. Ava barely contained her gag. "Let him come, so that I may run my sword through his heart."

"Do not make the mistake of under estimating him like so many have before you." Ava's veiled threat seemed to have no effect on the vicious man.

"Maligor," he called to one of Ava's original captors. "Take _Her Majesty_ away and show her the finest royal treatment you can afford her."

"With pleasure." A man with colder eyes, and a crueler look, and a nastier stench grabbed Ava roughly by the arm.

"You dare to lay a hand on me?" She struggled against his hold.

"Yes, I dare!" the head slaver spat ruthlessly before he struck Ava's temple with the hilt of Caspian's dagger. She fell limply into Maligor's arms, and he tossed her body over his shoulder.

"NO!" Caspian and Edmund shouted together fighting against their captors.

*"You'll pay for that!"* Edmund shouted.

"Actually," a new voice said, stepping out from the shadows. All present turned their attention to him. "Someone else is going to pay; I believe she shall fetch our highest bid yet." The man slowly made his way over to where Ava dangled over Maligor's arms. He lifted her head and ran his fingers along her jaw.

"That is, if I don't decide to keep her for myself." The man turned his attention to the head slaver. "Take those two to the dungeons," he said of Caspian and Edmund. "Her, and him we'll sale at the market tomorrow. As for her highness here… see what you can get out of her."


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING:** The beginning of this chapter is dark compared to the rest of the story thus far. Just wanted to give you that little warning. If you think it is too much, please let me know.

As usual, the ***** indicates direct quotes, once more these are from the movie. Some lines/scene were just too good to brush over in my opinion.

If I were naming the chapters, this one would be called My King.

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 8**

Ava awoke spluttering and coughing as she was doused in some kind of liquid. She didn't know what it was, but she knew it wasn't water and it smelled of alcohol. She was lying on cold stone in a dark room. Confused by her surroundings, she tried sitting up. Her head throbbed with immense pain and she was flooded with a sense of dizziness, nearly passing out once more. She tried bracing her head in her hands, but she could only raise her hands about a foot off the ground. Her wrists had been chained to the floor, and no matter how hard she tried pulling on her chains they would not budge.

"You'll only 'urt yourself doin' that," a voice sneered. Ava looked around but in the darkness she could see nothing.

Suddenly a row of torches were lit, illuminating her surroundings. Ava squinted as the harshness of the light temporarily blinded her. When her eyes finally adjusted, she noticed first why she felt so cold; her red dress had been removed and now she wore only her underdress. She was scared and confused. She couldn't remember where she was or how she had gotten there. But as she looked up into the obsidian black eyes of her captor, Maligor, Ava suddenly remembered what she had done, and she hoped her friends were alright.

"Oh, now she holds her tongue," another voice said; it belonged to the head slaver. Ava later came to learn that his name was Pug. Along with Pug and Maligor, there were two other slavers in the room.

"Per'aps she is thirsty," Maligor suggested with a nasty grin.

"Well then, let's give 'er a drink."

At Pug's signal the two unnamed slavers stepped forth. One grabbed a hold of Ava's head and forced her mouth open, while the other poured some kind of brown liquid in. They gave her too much and once more she began to splutter and cough. This only made the slavers roar with laughter. Their laughter reverberated off the stone walls making Ava's head swarm with pain and dizziness again.

"Now, you will tell us what we want to know," Pug said

"And what is it that you wish to know?" Ava asked.

"Who is your King?"

Ava's lips turned up in a defiant smile and she chuckled softly. "My King is a great man. He will come for me, and you will pay for your crimes."

Pug gave Maligor a nod, and Maligor brought the back of his hand down across Ava's face. It stung and Ava tasted blood on her lips, but she bit back her cry of pain. She would not give them what they wanted.

"I'll say it again. Who is your King?"

"My King is a fierce man. He will come for me, and you will cower at his feet."

Pug ushered one of the unnamed slavers forward. He withdrew a small dagger and ran it across Ava's arm slowly. She could not stop the hiss of pain this time. Pug grinned smugly.

"Who is your King?" he asked again. He was growing impatient, as was evident by his raised voice.

"My King," Ava fought past the pain still surging through her head and arm. "My King is a noble man. He will come for me, and you will… Ahhh!" Ava cried out as her arm was cut once more this time a little deeper.

XOXOX

"'Ere's your royal suite, Your 'Ighness," Maligor jeered as he opened a large wooden door and tossed Ava inside the room.

Ava's body was weak from the hours of questioning she had endured, and it could not hold up; she collapsed to the earthen floor. The door was quickly closed and locked behind her. Ava didn't have the strength or the will to move, her whole body throbbed with pain, and so she lay there breathing silently. She didn't even have the strength to cry.

"Ava?" a timid voice whispered in the silence. Ava recognized it at once.

"Ava?" the voice questioned again as a body shuffled across the floor to her. Ava knew she could not let them see her broken like she was, and it took nearly all she had to roll herself over.

"Ava? What have they done to you?" Ava looked into the gentle, cloudy grey eyes of her friend, and offered a feeble smile.

"I'm fine, Lucy," Ava said weakly. "I'm fine." With her wrists once more changed together, Ava struggled to push herself into a sitting position and Lucy had to help lift her shoulders from behind.

"Where are the others?" Ava asked as she slumped against a wall.

"Eustace is right here," Lucy pointed him out.

"What about Caspian? Where's Caspian?"

"I don't know. They said something about taking him and Edmund to the dungeons. Where have you been?"

Ava coughed weakly. "Nowhere. They just had a few questions for me."

"Questions?"

"They didn't like my answers. My King is noble. My King is fierce. My King will come. He will come." Ava's voice took a dreamy tone with a hint of madness to it as it began to fade.

"Ava?"

"I'm fine, Lucy." She began coughing weakly again.

"Here, drink this. It's water, I didn't drink any of mine when they gave it to me." Lucy held a cup up to Ava's lips and tipped a bit of water into her mouth.

"Water…?" she contemplated weakly after swallowing.

"Yes, it's water, Ava. Have some more." Lucy lifted the cup up to Ava's lips again, but she shook her head.

"No, let me see it." Ava took the cup into her own hands. It was only about a quarter full. "Is there anymore? I can use it…to get help. I can tell Reep, where we are."

"Eustace, Eustace do you have any more water?" Lucy asked as she crawled over to her cousin.

"Why? Why do you need it? Drink your own water," he replied.

"No Eustace, it's for Ava. She needs it. Please Eustace, can she have it?"

"I...I… I don't…" He stumbled with his feelings. What if he became thirsty later but he had already given up the last of his water?

"Eustace please, Ava needs it."

He looked over to where Ava sat leaning against the wall. Her dress was dirty and torn. She had a gash on her forehead that was caked with her own blood. She had several red lines on her sleeves; he didn't even want to know what they were. When he had first saw her earlier that day he had been speechless in her presence, now he felt speechless again but for entirely different reasons. Hardly knowing why he did it, he handed his cup over to Lucy.

"Thank you, Eustace," Lucy said relieved. For a moment she half expected her cousin to refuse. Lucy took the cup and began to shuffle back over to Ava.

"Lucy," Eustace called her back. "Don't let her go to sleep. That cut on her head looks severe; she might have a concussion."

Lucy nodded in understanding before finishing her crawl. She poured the rest of Eustace's water into Ava's cup. Ava smiled faintly and whispered her thanks to Eustace. Then she placed her hand in the cup and with every bit of strength she could muster, she focused her thoughts on the person she wanted to reach. She had never contacted the Narnians this way before, but she didn't understand, if she could hear their thoughts, why they wouldn't be able to hear hers if she let them. Her mind was foggy and she found it difficult to concentrate, but she did not stop trying. They had to know what they were coming in to.

XOXOX

Reepicheep lay swinging in his hammock below deck. For once, he did not have the night shift; though it did him little good because he could not find rest anyways. King Caspian, the Naiad Princess, the King and Queen of Old, and their odd cousin had been gone for hours. They had not returned to the docks after nightfall, and Captain Drinian, not wanting to spend the night on shore of an island so full of ill boding, had ordered the men back to the _Dawn Treader_ to wait.

Suddenly he heard someone call his name and his eyes sprung open. He looked around but could not see the source of the call. Seeing no one he thought perhaps he really was tired. So he closed his eyes once more and tried going to sleep.

"Reepicheep…"

There it was again! He was certain he heard his name that time. He knew he wasn't dreaming now. He also recognized the voice that had called him.

"Princess?" he called back.

"Reepicheep…help us…"

Help? The Princess was in trouble?

"Slave traders… separated … Caspian, Ed … market … morning …help us, Reep…"

The Princess's message was jumbled and it didn't make much sense to Reepicheep. But one thing was perfectly clear. The Princess was in trouble! Reepicheep jumped down from his hammock and scurried off to inform the Captain of this terrible news. The Captain was standing on the forecastle peering through his spy glass at the island. The horizon was graying with the early light of day.

"Hello, Reep," Drinian greeted the noble mouse.

"I have grave news, Captain," Reepicheep replied.

"What is it?"

"The Princess is in danger." Reepicheep proceeded to tell Drinian about the message he received. As he did so, they were joined by the other Narnians on board.

"He speaks the truth, Captain," Tavros said. "I received the same message."

"As did I," Voltinus replied.

"And I." One by one all the Narnians confirmed that they had heard the same message.

"Very well then, let us make our plan of rescue," Drinian said.

XOXOX

Edmund awoke to a loud clanging noise and with a headache. He knew there was nothing he could do about his head, so he ignored it and focused on the noise. When he looked over his left shoulder, he saw that Caspian was kicking an iron barred gate.

*"You alight?"* Caspian asked as he paused to take a breath.

"Yeah," Edmund said with a slight groan as he stood up. When they saw the slave traders dragging Lucy and Eustace away, and in Ava's case carrying her away, Caspian and Edmund had put up such a fight that the slavers had to subdue them with some strange smelling cloth that knocked them unconscious.

"Are you alright?" Edmund asked, but for a response all he got was a grunt as Caspian kicked at the gate again.

"How long have you been doing that?"

"I don't know," Caspian replied shaking his head as he kicked the gate again. "But it doesn't matter. They have Ava and I won't stop until I get her back…and Lucy and Eustace too of course." Caspian gave the gate his strongest kick yet and it still showed no sign of giving way.

*"It's hopeless,"* a voice called out from the back corner. *"You'll never get out."*

*"Who's there?"* Edmund asked.

*"Nobody…just a voice in my head."*

Caspian looked in the direction from which the voice came and for the first time he thought he saw something in the shadows. He moved slowly to the dark corner as the shadows began to stir. A man dressed in dirty, tattered clothes with a long wiry beard and long grey hair emerged in the sunlight. The man and Caspian looked upon each other as if they were trying to put a name to a face.

*"Lord Bern?"* Caspian questioned.

The man seemed startled to hear his name. *"Perhaps once, but I'm no longer deserving of that title."*

*"Is he one of the seven?"* Edmund asked. Caspian nodded before moving forward and squatting before the old lord.

*"Your face,"* Lord Bern began. *"You remind me of a King I once loved well."*

*"That man was my father,"* Caspian replied.

The old man was shocked once more and sounded a little frightened. *"Oh, My Lord, please forgive me."* He tried to kneel before his King but Caspian wouldn't allow it.

*"No, please…please."* Caspian held the lord by his elbows and helped him to stand. Caspian smiled, relieved. He had not forgotten about Ava and the others, but he had found the first of the seven missing lords. Surely, that was a good omen.

XOXOX

*"I bid sixty!"*

Morning had arrived, and Ava had not slept at all; Lucy wouldn't allow it. Ava felt exhausted, empty, completely drained of all energy and magic as she stood under the blazing sun. She missed the cooling wind that would blow at sea.

*"I bid eighty!"*

It was market day. Ava stood in a line with Eustace to her left and no one to her right. Lucy had been there. Now Lucy stood on the auction block.

*"One hundred for the little lady!"*

Ava cringed. Inwardly at least, she was too tired to express her discomfort physically. She couldn't bear to see her friend being auctioned off. _"My King will come. He will come,"_ Ava repeated her mantra over again.

*"One hundred and twenty!"*

Suddenly she felt something; a spark, a flare of magic. She couldn't really describe it. She looked out into the crowd and noticed the blue robes for the first time. She was nearly certain she had seen those robes before. But where?

*"One hundred and fifty!"*

With no more bids Lucy was lifted off the stone block and moved aside; a "sold" sign now hung about her neck. The slaver Maligor grabbed Ava forcefully by the arm and dragged her forward. It was her turn to be auctioned off now. As she was placed on the block, Ava stared straight ahead and into the crowd, and she caught sight of a familiar face. Her eyes locked with the mystical green eyes of someone she would consider a friend. His cloak hid his true nature from the unsuspecting buyers, but Ava knew him well. Voltinus!

"Well, look 'ooh it is! You boys are in for a trea' now! We got ourselves a 'eal Princess 'ere!" Pug informed the crowd, mocking Ava's Princess claim. Nothing Pug could do or say could dampen Ava's spirit now! At the sight of Voltinus she had been filled with such determination and strength. Her help had arrived!

Before he opened the bids on Ava, Pug thought he'd taunt her a bit more. So he stepped up beside her on the stone block. His face was only inches from hers, and Ava had to hold her breath so she wouldn't gag.

"Where is your king now? 'Ere you stand on my auction block, 'bout to be sold to the 'ighest bidder, and I see no king. 'E has failed you, Princess."

Pug's words might have stung, had Ava not already known that her help stood in the crowd, waiting for the best time to strike. Ava saw no better time than the present. Pug and the other slavers had not noticed the strange men in identical cloaks, or they had not cared so long as they got their money.

Ava kept her body relaxed so as to not arouse suspicion. As she stepped forward to respond to his mocking words, her fingers grazed across the hilt of his sword that sat at his side. Pug did not notice, and that gave Ava an idea. The fingers of her right hand silently wrapped around the sword's hilt while her left hand hid them from view of the crowd.

"I fear my sir, that I have deceived you," Ava sneered back. "My King is all I said he was, but I—I am not as defenseless as I have led you to believe."

With all she had, Ava kicked Pug backwards while keeping a hold of his sword. As Pug stumbled off the stage his sword came free of its sheath. All around her, Ava could hear the ring of other swords being unsheathed and cries of "For Narnia!"

With Pug temporarily out of the way, Ava knew that her biggest threat would come from Maligor. Sure enough, as she turned around she saw Maligor quickly coming at her with his sword poised to attack. Ava quickly fended off his blow before issuing an attack of her own.

XOXOX

Meanwhile, Caspian, Edmund, and the Lord Bern were being escorted by four slavers from the dungeons to the market square. Just as they had come around a corner and climbed a few stairs, Caspian heard a man say something about having a princess, and he peered over the wall to his left. Down below was what appeared to be the center of town and in the center of it was a stone block, and on the block stood Ava.

_"She's alive!"_ he thought. Relief flooded his heart but it quickly diminished when he saw her beaten and worn down, wearing only her underdress. He had to get to her!

"Keep movin'," the slaver behind Caspian said as he pushed him forward.

Suddenly they heard the unsheathing of swords and cries of "For Narnia!" The slaver in the lead rushed to the wall to see what was happening. Caspian took a step closer as well; he saw Narnians discarding cloaks as they began to fight, and he saw Ava in chains but still fighting with all she had.

Caspian glanced over his shoulder and saw that the slaver behind him was also distracted by the action below. Caspian quickly swung his arms around and knocked the slaver down before rushing to push the first one over the wall. The slaver broke the chain acting as a rail and fell to his demise on the stones below. The two remaining slavers split up, one going after Edmund and Lord Bern, and the other going after Caspian.

Both kings used quick foot action and sly maneuvering to avoid the strike of the swords. Edmund managed to wrap his chains around the sword of his slaver and wrestle it from his hands. Edmund then quickly moved around to the slaver's back and wrapped his chains around the man's neck.

*"Get the keys!"* Edmund instructed the astonished Lord Bern, who quickly acted.

Caspian had also managed to disarm his opponent and throw him into a wall where he was knocked unconscious. A freed Lord Bern tossed the keys to Caspian after freeing Edmund.

XOXOX

In the square below, the fight was raging on. The Narnians in the crowd had thrown off their cloaks and others had come around the corners. Reepicheep was among the Narnians in the crowd. He was hiding on Drinian's back and under his cloak. When the fight began, Reepicheep rushed to Lucy to pick the lock on her chains. Once free, Lucy joined the fray and began to fight with whatever she could find. Another surprise for the slavers lay in the citizens of Narrowhaven. They had grown tired of living in fear of being enslaved and they too fought with whatever they could find.

Ava fought Maligor with every ounce of strength she had left. Unfortunately, that wasn't very much. Maligor had eaten well and gotten plenty of sleep the night before. Ava had not eaten since lunch the day before, and she had been beaten and made to stay awake all night. With what strength she did have, Ava gave a good fight, but she was soon over powered.

Maligor knocked the sword from Ava's hands and sent it clanging to the ground. He sliced at Ava's midsection. She jumped backwards to avoid Maligor's sword, but her feet landed half on the stone auctioning block. Off balance, she fell back and slammed her head against the stone; her body vibrated with unbearable pain, but she could not let it defeat her.

When Maligor made to strike at Ava again, she barely rolled out of the way in time. She desperately began to crawl for freedom, as best as she could with her wrists bound together. She chanced a glance over her shoulders and saw that Maligor had been impeded in his pursuit of her. Ava sighed, believing that she was safe. She was wrong. Someone grabbed her shoulder and forced her to roll on to her back before crawling on top of her.

Pug!

"You' been more trouble than you're worth," he said angrily as he pinned her arms above her head with one dagger while placing a second against her throat. Ava tried to scream but her voice was hoarse and Pug covered her mouth with his hand.

"I should 'ave done this from the start."

Just as Pug was about to press the dagger into Ava's skin, he suddenly stopped and his eyes went wide. He dropped the dagger and fell to the side. Where his chest had been, Ava now saw the bloody blade of a sword. Her eyes followed the blade down to the hilt, up the arm of its beholder, and to the cold, deadly eyes of…Caspian?

Almost immediately after looking at Ava, Caspian's eyes softened. Caspian knelt down and removed the dagger that was jammed through a link in Ava's chains, holding her to the ground. Then he grabbed her forearm and pulled her to her feet.

"My King," Ava whispered hoarsely. "You came." Her head swam with dizziness and fog. She grasped weakly as his shirt as she tried to hold on to consciousness, but failed. Her grip loosened and her head lolled back as she fell limp in Caspian's arms.

"Ava? Ava!"

* * *

><p><strong>Oh and I did it again! How awful of me! If I promise to make it up to you in the next chapter, will you promise not to hate me? ;)<strong>

**Sounds like a fair trade to me.**

* * *

><p>If you're a prayin' people, please keep me in your prayers. I have a job interview coming up in a couple of weeks, and after both my husband and I have been unemployed for the past year I could really use this job.<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

**WOW! That last chapter blew up with responses! Thank you so very much!**

**I was going to hold off on this chapter until tomorrow, but then I felt a little bad for leaving you with two cliffies where Ava's status was unknown. So here is chapter 9, and as I promised, I have tried to make it up to you! **

**As usual the * indicates direct quotes, this time, however, the direct quotes are from the BOOK, chapter 4: What Caspian Did There.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 9**

"Ava!" Caspian shouted at the limp body in his arms. This couldn't be happening. He did not come all this way to lose her now; not like this, not at all!

"Ava, Ava, look at me! Come on, Ava!" Caspian knelt down and gently laid her body on the ground and cradled her head in his hands. As his hand slid around the back of her head he felt something wet and sticky. When he pulled his hand back, he saw it was covered in her blood.

"No, no, no, no. No! Ava!" He was losing all control and panic was beginning to take over. His eyes were beginning to cloud over with tears and he fought relentlessly to keep them at bay. "Ava, wake up. Please, wake up."

"Caspian? Caspian what's wrong?" Lucy asked before she saw who he held in his arms. "No, Ava!" Lucy dropped to her knees before her friend, unable to bear the sight.

"My cordial!" Lucy began to stand back up before a hand pushed her shoulder down and handed her a diamond bottle.

"Here, Your Majesty. We brought it just in case," Drinian said.

Without hesitation, Lucy uncorked the bottle and let a single drop fall into Ava's mouth. Lucy, Caspian, and all others who had gathered around, waited with bated breath. Several seconds passed without much change; usually the cordial was instantaneous.

"Why isn't it working?" Caspian asked as he tried his best to keep his emotions from erupting.

"I don't…no look! It is working!" Lucy pointed to the wound on Ava's head and her busted lip. Both were healing, returning Ava's skin to the flawlessness that it was before. "And she's breathing regularly now too."

"Then why isn't she waking up?"

"Maybe it's something my cordial can't heal."

"I don't understand."

"Caspian," Lucy waited until she had Caspian's full attention before continuing; she was surprised by the amount of fear she saw in his eyes. "She used her magic to tell the Narnians what was happening, and she's been up all night. She's tired. She needs rest. The cordial has worked; she'll be fine. She just needs rest."

Caspian was about to argue when someone called for him. "Sire," two of the _Dawn Treader_ crewmen stepped forth holding a man between them. They forced the man to his knees before Caspian. "This is Gumpas, Governor of the Lone Islands. We caught him trying to escape."

"Why is he wet?" Edmund asked.

The crewmen smiled. "The boy Eustace knocked him into the water." Edmund looked over to his cousin who was already receiving some praise from the crew.

Caspian, who was still kneeling on the ground with an unconscious Ava in his arms, looked into Lucy's eyes. He knew she was being sincere when she said Ava would be fine, but he would not believe it until he saw Ava awake and fully restored with his own eyes. Until then, he would do all he could to protect her, and right what had been wronged.

"Tavros," he called over the large Minotaur. Caspian carefully picked Ava up once more before handing her over to Tavros. "Keep her out of the sun."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You?" Gumpas suddenly questioned. "You're the king she spoke of?" As Caspian looked upon the man before him, realization dawned on him. Gumpas had been the last man to step out of the shadows in the bell tower.

"I am," Caspian said fiercely; Gumpas' face grew white in fear. Caspian looked around the square. Many of the citizens had come out of hiding and they were watching him, waiting to see what he would do.

"It was our wish," Caspian spoke loudly addressing the whole of the crowd, "that our royal visitation to these islands be an occasion of joy and celebration. And yet we arrived to find our people living in fear of enslavement and the streets overrun with slavers. What have you to say Governor? *Why have you permitted this abominable an unnatural traffic in slaves to grow up here, contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions?*"

"I—I assure you, Sire, it has been a necessary part of our economic development. Our current progress depends on it."

"Progress? You call this progress?" Caspian had been trying to keep his temper under control, but he was quickly beginning to lose it.

"With Your Majesty's tender years, you would not understand."

"*Tender as my years may be*, I see that this practice brings only fear to these lands, and not progress. It shall be stopped at once and henceforth banned from all lands under the rule of Narnia. As for you, Gumpas, for your part in allowing this practice to proceed you are hereby relieved of your duties. You and your people shall vacate the castle by noon tomorrow." For good measure, Caspian grabbed Gumpas' left hand and removed his signet ring.

"Where is the Lord Bern?" Caspian asked looking around. The old lord stepped forth and knelt before Caspian, upon his direction. Caspian went to grab both of the Lord Bern's hands, but halted when he saw the bloody state of one. He asked around for a cloth to clean his hand on, and an older woman standing nearby quickly dipped one of her own towels into a barrel of water and handed it to Caspian. Once his hands were clean, he returned to the Lord Bern and held his hands in his.

"Lord Bern, before us and before the witnesses gathered here today, do you swear your allegiance to the King of Narnia who rules by the grace of the Great Lion Aslan?"

"I do, my Lord," Lord Bern answered.

"And will you rule these people of the Lone Islands fairly, holding none above the other, and remembering that none are slaves, but all are free subjects as *in accordance with the old customs, rights, usages and laws of Narnia?*"

"I will, my Lord."

"Then by the power gifted to me by Aslan, as King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, Baron of Ettinsmor, and Emperor of the Lone Islands I hereby name you Lord Bern, Duke of the Lone Islands." The newly made duke kissed Caspian's signet ring as the crowd erupted with cheers.

"Now," Caspian began as he helped Lord Bern to his feet. "Will you be so kind as to show us to your new estates? The Princess needs a bed on which to rest and my men would like a cask of wine."

XOXOX

Ava, awakening, found herself on a soft bed with warm light pooling in from the window. For a split second she thought she was back in her rooms at the Cair, but the lighting wasn't quite right. As she turned her head to her left to get a better view of her surroundings, she groaned with stiffness and she knew she wasn't home.

"You're awake," Lucy said gleefully as she sat on the edge of Ava's bed and smiled down at her. Lucy motioned to someone out of Ava's line of sight before turning back to Ava. "How do you feel?"

"Stiff."

"You've been asleep for nearly two days."

"Two days? What happened?"

"Ava? You've been recovering in the Duke's Castle."

"Duke? I thought the Lone Islands were ruled by a Governor?"

Lucy smiled, at least Ava knew where she was. "For a long time they were, but as of two days ago they are now ruled by the Duke Bern."

"Bern? Any relation to the Lord Bern?"

"The very one. It's a bit of a long story, and I'd be more than willing to explain it later, but I'm sure right now you'd like to bathe."

"Now that you mention it, I would like to. Can you have a bath drawn for me?" Ava asked as she sat up.

"Already have," Lucy replied, helping Ava to her feet. As Ava was readying herself for her bath, Lucy went to find Caspian to keep a promise she made to him. She found him in a relaxed sitting room with the Duke, Lord Drinian, Edmund, and several other men. When Lucy walked into the room all eyes turned to her. She gave a soft smile and Caspian quickly stood up.

"Is she…?" he asked timidly.

Lucy nodded. "Ava's awake." Caspian hurried to the door, ready to see Ava, but Lucy put a hand out and stopped him. "But you can't see her yet."

"Lucy I must see her with my own eyes."

"Now is not the proper time; she is bathing Caspian. I promised I would tell you when she awoke, and I have. I will come for you again when she is ready for visitors."

"Come for me the moment she is decent," Caspian instructed.

"The moment she is ready," Lucy corrected, before heading back to Ava's rooms.

XOXOX

Ava stood in front of a tall window, looking out to sea at the majestic _Dawn Treader_. Her bath had been relaxing and greatly needed. She couldn't believe that she had been sleeping for two days. She knew something big had happened; she just couldn't remember what. She saw flashes of those things, but none of them were sequential or cohesive. While bathing, Ava asked Lucy to tell her what happened. Lucy told Ava what she could, but she said there were several hours when Ava was alone with the slave traders, and Lucy didn't know what happened.

Lucy had been really good at urging Ava to see Caspian though. It's not that Ava didn't want to see him, because she did; she wanted to see him more than anything. But she was scared. She knew he had seen her at her worst, broken and beaten; would he still see her that way? And she remembered moments in the bell tower clearly, when they had first come upon the slave traders. Ava remembered Caspian telling her not to do what she was about to do; it had been a command in hiding, but she did it anyways. She disobeyed him again. How angry would he be this time?

After nearly an hour after her bath, Ava realized she couldn't hold Caspian off any longer. So she gave Lucy permission to go get him. That's what she was doing now. She was standing in front of that tall window, gazing upon the _Dawn Treader_, and waiting for Lucy to return with Caspian. Ava had never felt so…nervous, she supposed was that right word to describe her feelings. She had never felt so nervous before. At last she heard the door open behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know that Caspian was there, staring at her.

"Will you leave us please?" Ava said to the ladies who were busy working around the room. She could hear them stop what they were doing and leave. "You too please, Lucy."

"Oh, ok. I'll go find Eustace; see how he's holding up."

After Lucy left, Ava and Caspian were alone.

XOXOX

Caspian hurried down the halls alongside Lucy. It was going on two hours since the young queen first came and told him that Ava had awoken at last. He was going crazy with anticipation waiting to see her.

_"I told you I would come for you when she was ready for visitors, Caspian,"_ Lucy had said when he asked what took so long_. "She's been through a lot; she needed time to wrap her mind around what's happened. She says she doesn't really remember anything beyond the bell tower."_

Caspian remembered every terrifying moment, every second that passed that he didn't know what was happening to Ava. He remembered the dead weight of her body lying motionless in his arms. He remembered the sinking feeling he had when he thought he'd lost her. He remembered thinking, that without her the sun would never rise again in his life.

Now, at last, she stood before him. Her back was to him as she was stared out the window. She kindly instructed the ladies in the room to leave, including Lucy. Caspian didn't mind. He wanted to be alone with her. He wanted to take her in his arms and swear that nothing like this would ever happen to her again, so long as he lived. Even after they were alone, Ava continued to stare out the window quietly. And when she did turn around, she still just stood there.

Caspian took the time to let his eyes absorb everything he saw about her. She was wearing the bluest dress he had ever seen, and it made her eyes look bluer than they had ever been; her eyes also shined with unshed tears. The skin of her face seemed to glow, and when her golden hair caught the light of the sun it shimmered. Only one word could be used to describe her. Beautiful.

XOXOX

Ava couldn't take the silence or the distance any more. She rushed forth and threw her arms around Caspian's neck. She didn't care how angry he might be; she had to be next to him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and did the same. She couldn't hold back her tears any longer and let them fall freely. Caspian could feel the wetness of her tears on his cheek and his hands began to rub her back soothingly. He wanted to say something to her, but didn't know what.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled through her tears, still hugging his neck tightly. "Please don't be angry with me."

"Why would I be angry?" Caspian asked.

"You told me not to go to him, but I did it anyways. I had to. I had to keep their focus away from Lucy."

"You sacrificed yourself for her." Caspian hadn't understood at first why she would subject herself to their cruel treatment, but now he did.

"I had to," she tried nodding her head while it was still in his neck. "How angry with me, are you?"

"Ava," Caspian pulled her back slightly. Their bodies were still pressed up against each other and her arms were still draped around his neck, but now he cupped her face in his hands. "Any anger I may have felt, was quickly replaced with fear; fear for what they may do to you. Saving you from them was the only thing I cared about. I'm sorry I didn't protect you like I should have, but I swear that it will never happen again."

Ava didn't know who initiated it; who moved first. All she knew was that one moment she was staring into Caspian's eyes and the next her lips were pressing against his, and it was the greatest sensation she had ever felt. Nothing could top that feeling, not even swimming. Her whole body felt like it had been submerged in a fire that only grew hotter and never burned. Her arms folded around Caspian's neck, while his hands buried themselves in her hair. They could not have been closer unless they became one person.

XOXOX

Caspian didn't really know how they had begun kissing, but he could not stop. This is what he had been dreaming of for months, years even. This is what he had imagined a thousand times, only so much better. Her lips were softer and sweeter than he could have possibly dreamed of. He buried his hands in her silky strands of tangible sunlight as he pulled her closer. He always thought that if he had a first kiss with her, it would be soft and gentle like she was. But this was not like that. He kissed her with so much passion and fervor, pouring every ounce of love he had for her into that one kiss; and she returned it with a matching intensity.

They parted, only for the need of air, and laid their foreheads together. A smile was present on both their faces, and in their eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Well there you have it. Am I forgiven now? :D A picture of Ava's dress is on my profile if you're interested.<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Before we begin, I feel I must say that if you haven't figured it out yet, this part will be much longer than part 1. I mean, roughly speaking, we're looking at around 20 chapters total (and then there's part 3!)**

**The "fighting top" is the "crow's nest." I chose to use the term "fighting top" because that is what it is called in the book.  
><strong>

**So anyways, hope you all enjoy?...*bites lip nervously*  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 10**

Her lips melded perfectly with his own in a synchronized art. His brain could not fathom how something as simple as lips could stir him so. They were soft and supple, velvety smooth and sweeter than the sweetest fruit. And they were driving him wild. The thoughts they made run through his head were hardly appropriate, but he could not seem to stop them.

He playfully nibbled on her bottom lip and she giggled, causing his heart to race wildly. His lips moved from hers to taste the tempting skin of her throat. She let out a gasp of pleasure and a soft moan.

"Oh Caspian…"

"Caspian…"

Suddenly a voice drew Caspian from his thoughts. The young king shook his head and looked up at the Lord Drinian who was waiting for a response to a question he just asked.

"Yes Captain?" he asked, trying to sound normal; the hitch in his voice proved failure.

"I said, was there anything else Lord Bern told you about the mist?" Drinian asked.

"No, he told us all he knew, and I have relayed it all to you."

The mist, the Green Mist to be precise, was an odd phenomenon that Caspian and Edmund had witnessed from their cell on the Lone Islands. The two kings had watched in horror as two long boats packed with Islanders were sent out to sea only to vanish amongst a cloud of green mist. Lord Bern had explained to them how the Islanders were being sacrificed to the mist if they were not bought as slaves. Upon first hearing of the mist, that originated from the far east, the Seven Lords made a pact to find its source and destroy it. Six of the Lords set sail from Narrowhaven; only Bern remained behind to look after the Islanders.

Now, the _Dawn Treader_ was following the path of the Six Lords. The Narnians were two days sailing from Narrowhaven, and the sun had just reached the edge of the western horizon. Caspian, Drinian, and Edmund were in the Map Room trying to chart their course as best they could. Drinian and the sailors had spent much of their time at Narrowhaven speaking with other sailors, hoping that some could tell them what lay beyond, but none knew.

"And how is the Princess doing?" Drinian asked, changing the subject. "We have not seen much of her since we left port."

Caspian paused; he didn't really know what to say. Ava had been avoiding him, and creating distance between them. She had hardly spoken to him since their kiss.

"She is shaken from the events that transpired at Narrowhaven. I have not seen her this reclusive since she was a servant in my uncle's castle. But I know she will pull through."

XOXOX

When she closed her eyes and licked her lips, she could almost taste his kiss as his lips moved with hers. When she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, she could almost smell the salty air that lingered on his skin as he held her close. When she closed her eyes and combed her fingers through her hair, she could almost feel his hands tangling in her locks.

Ava sighed longingly.

"Ava? Are you alright?" Lucy asked softly. Ava opened her eyes. She was lying on the soft velveteen blanket of the bed she shared with Lucy in the State Room. She was _not_ where she wanted to be, in Caspian's embrace.

"I'm fine, Lucy," she lied. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I suppose I was just curious because you've sighed like that… maybe ten, fifteen times in the last five minutes."

Ava turned her head to the side to look at her friend; Lucy was smirking over the top of her book.

"I have a problem," Ava finally confessed.

"Yes, I've gathered that." Lucy set her book on the table and gave Ava her undivided attention. "And what is this problem?"

Ava sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed. "I think I may have developed feelings for Caspian, feelings that are more than friendly."

"Oh, and you're just now realizing this?"

"Yes, I…wait. What?"

"Ava, I noticed it the moment we arrived."

"How?"

"Well at first I merely suspected it by the way you looked at him, but you denied it. Then I noticed how you always seemed to position yourself next to him; you probably didn't even realize you were doing it. But I really knew you fancied Caspian after you told me about Galma and Genevieve."

"What does _she_ have to do with my feelings for Caspian?"

"Because of that right there, the way you talk about her. You're jealous, or you were jealous of her, because Caspian was spending his time with her and not you."

"How did you figure all of this out?" Ava asked mesmerized.

"I may only be thirteen now, but I was older than Caspian when we left Narnia the first time. I learned a thing or two about relationships, though Peter and Ed have both seemed to have forgotten it, but I haven't."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is it very hard, growing up twice?"

"It's…confusing and a bit complicated."

"It's confusing and complicated enough the first time."

"I know." Lucy laughed. "But I still learn things, different things. I know that no matter how bad things may seem, they can always be worse, and eventually they always get better."

"I kissed him!" Ava blurted out after a slight pause in the conversation. "Or, he kissed me. Actually, I'm not really sure who started it; it just sort of happened."

"When?"

"At Narrowhaven."

"When you guys were in your room alone? I wondered what you guys were talking about it there; I guess you weren't really talking at all."

"No, we did talk," Ava said hastily. "Some. And then we kissed."

"So, how was it? Not that I need specific details or anything; Caspian is like a brother to me, and that would be weird."

Ava couldn't stop the smile that spread over her face as she remembered the feel of his lips on hers. "It was great." But then her face grew sad.

"Then what's wrong?"

"It shouldn't have happened," Ava said as a tear fell from her eyes. "I am the Naiad Princess. How could I betray the Narnians like that? They have lived without a Princess for so long, and now they finally have one again, but she's betrayed them by fancying her King. How could I have let this happen? I know I hurt him by choosing them, but I cannot be with him."

Ava began to sob harder and Lucy moved to the bed to wrap her arms around her friend. Ava laid her head on Lucy's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably while Lucy held her gently and rubbed her back.

"Have you told Caspian any of this? Of what you're feeling?" Lucy asked when Ava stopped crying at last.

"I cannot bear to see him hurting," Ava said as she shook her head.

"Ava, you really need to tell him. He's already hurting, but he doesn't know why. Prolonging it, will only make it worse."

"I am so glad Aslan sent you to us," Ava managed to say before she began to cry some more. She really didn't know what she would do without Lucy.

XOXOX

Caspian left the State Room and stepped onto the main deck. He was worried. It was well after dark, he would be retiring to his hammock shortly, but he could not find Ava anywhere. He knew she would step overboard occasionally to swim alongside the ship, but she was always back before it got dark. So then, where was she?

"Lucy?" he called out as he approached the young Queen sitting next to her brother, who was working on clearing away the encrusted shells on his new sword. The sword was a gift from Lord Bern, and he said it had been entrusted to him by Caspian's father. Apparently, each of the Seven Lords was given a similar sword from Narnia's Golden Age.

"Have you seen Ava? I can't find her anywhere," Caspian said.

"She's up there," Lucy said as she looked up the main mast. Caspian could just make out a shadowy figure sitting on the fighting top.

"What is she doing up there?"

"She said she needed some time to think about things."

"Oh." Caspian dropped his head.

"You should go talk to her, Caspian."

"No, no that's alright. If she needs time to think then I should just leave her be."

"Trust me Caspian," Lucy said pointedly. "You should go talk to her."

Caspian looked at Lucy strangely. What was she trying to tell him? Had Ava told her what transpired between them? Caspian wasn't sure what was going on, but there was something about the look in Lucy's eyes that said he needed to heed her advice.

"Alright, Lu. What do you know that I don't?" Edmund asked, pausing momentarily on his sword, as Caspian began to climb up the rigging.

"That list, Ed, would be too long to get into now," she teased

"Very funny, Lucy. Now really, what do you know?"

Lucy smiled sadly. "It doesn't concern us."

Caspian finally reached the top of the mast to find Ava sitting down and staring out over the ocean. She was facing west, towards Narnia. Even in the dim light, Caspian could see her tear stained face. Caspian walked around the small platform till he reached the crewman on duty, Rynelf.

"Good evening, Rynelf," Caspian said softly.

"Good evening, Sire, though I do believe evening left us several hours ago."

"I suppose that is true. What do you see out there?"

"Just the ocean, Sire. Miles upon miles of it." Rynelf yawned. "Excuse me."

"Are you tired? When does the next shift begin?"

"Half an hour, Sire. The new crewman Rhince is to relieve me."

"Ah, well, why don't you go on down? I will cover the rest of your shift."

"That is very gracious of you, Sire, but I will be fine."

"Please, Rynelf," Caspian looked over his shoulder. Rynelf followed his line of sight, and could just see Ava's shoulder sticking out around the mast. "I insist."

"I understand, Your Majesty. Thank you." Rynelf handed the telescope to Caspian and silently left the platform. Caspian waited until Rynelf was well out of hearing range before approaching Ava.

"May I join you?" he asked. Ava tore her eyes away from the ocean and turned them on Caspian. The despair he saw there was nearly enough to knock him off his feet and he had to grip the rail for support. He quietly, and carefully sat down after she nodded her permission. An agonizing moment of silence passed before he had the courage to speak.

"I am sorry I overstepped by bounds at Narrowhaven. I should not have kissed you like that when you did not want it."

Ava swallowed hard. This was the moment she had been dreading. "I do believe that I participated in that kiss as much as you did, Caspian."

He smiled faintly. "So it seemed. Then I am sorry if it was not as well as you hoped; I have not had much practice."

Now Ava smiled faintly. "Neither have I. You kiss just fine, My King. It was a wonderful moment." Ava looked over at Caspian, and he was relieved to see her smiling. And then, almost as quickly as the smile came, it faded into sorrow once more. "But that's all it was. A moment. That's all it can be. Just a moment."

A tear slid down her cheek and Caspian reached out to wipe it away, but Ava beat him to it. She knew that feeling his touch would only make things harder at the moment.

"I am the Naiad Princess, Caspian. I cannot feel for you that way."

"Cannot? Or will not?" Caspian asked, unable to contain the hurt he felt at her words. He saw the flash of pain across Ava's features and he regretted his words immediately. "Ava, do not tell me you feel nothing for me unless it is the truth."

"Caspian, the Narnians…" Ava sobbed softly.

"Do not think of them now. Think of us. What about what we want? Are we not to be happy too?"

"Caspian, I do not think it matters much what we want. You made a promise to the Narnians, three years ago. You vowed to put the good of Narnia above all else, above even your own happiness. You are their King, and I am their Princess. I cannot abandon them, no matter how I may feel towards you."

Ava lowered her head into her hands as sobs over took her. Caspian knew he probably shouldn't touch her, but he could not bear to see her in so much pain. He slid closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Thankfully, she did not cringe away but leaned into his chest. He brought his other arm up and wrapped it around her as well, hugging her small body to his. He knew she had given much thought to this, and he could not contest her. As much as it hurt him to hear her say she could not love him, he knew it would hurt even more to not have her in his life at all; he would rather have her as a friend, than nothing.

Taking a deep and steadying breath, he began to speak. "Ava, I cannot deny that your words sting me, but I accept them. I once told you, that no matter what happened you would always be my greatest companion. I stand by those words now."

Ava leaned back and wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked up at Caspian. She saw a strength there, a brave face, but she could also see the hurt underneath.

"You do?" she asked, unsurely.

"Of course, Ava. I would always wish to have you as a friend, if I could not have you as more."

"Good, because I could not live without you in my life in some way."

"Nor I you."

Ava and Caspian sat side by side in silence for a few minutes more. Then Rhince, a man from the Lone Islands who had joined their crew in hopes of searching for his wife who had been taken by the mist, joined them on the platform to begin his duty of keeping watch. Ava and Caspian then carefully climbed down to the main deck and retired to their cabins.

* * *

><p><strong>Wait a Minute... If I were to say "The End" here, then I would give you all permission to hate me, lock me in the stocks, and throw rotten vegetables at me. But, since this is NOT THE END, please hold off on those rotten vegetables. Thank you!<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**So, I've decided to interpret the lack of reviews for the last chapter as reader's being upset over what I did to Caspian's heart...(or maybe people have lives and jobs outside of ?) Either way, I won't let it bring me down...too much.**

**Here's chapter 11. By the way, I had SOOOOOO much fun writing the beginning of this chapter! I totally understand why C.S. Lewis made Eustace such a brat to start off with.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 11**

_"Dear Diary…" _Eustace didn't know where to begin as he sat on the deck between a couple of barrels. He couldn't believe his rotten luck. First he was told that two of his cousins would be coming to stay with him, and then they had to drag him along to this blasted place. Yes, he had to admit that he was no longer in his beloved England but in some rotten fairytale world. The people here were simply barbarians; some of them weren't even men but talking beasts! The worst of the lot (other than his stuck up cousin Edmund) was a fellow named Caspian, who thought he was some kind of great king, and the talking circus rat Weepysheep (or something like that). Eustace despised rats.

They were on some outdated wooden rowboat that lacked all the proper necessities, and yet everyone on board acted as though it were the most magnificent ship to ever exist. They were now about two weeks sailing from the last known island with no land in sight. Still, Caspian decided to continue on, even though they didn't seem to have enough supplies to accommodate everyone. No matter what anyone said, Eustace just knew that he always received less than everyone else. He thought about what happened yesterday when they all received their afternoon water ration, and how horribly it had gone…

_Once more Eustace had to wait in line behind his cousins before he could receive his cup of water. He didn't understand why he should be made to wait; he was already ill from lack of water! He mentioned this to Lucy, but he didn't know Caspian had been standing behind them and he overheard everything. Caspian had the nerve to say that they were all ill and that Eustace would just have to wait like everyone else. Eustace wouldn't have minded so much if it weren't for the fact that everyone else didn't have to wait as long as **he** did._

_ Then Eustace had a brilliant thought! (Well, all of his thoughts were brilliant to be honest.) His cousins were supposedly a King and Queen, he didn't understand how exactly. If that were true, then why did they have to wait? Shouldn't the King be the first to get anything to drink? And shouldn't Eustace, being related to a king and queen, be next in line for water? He mentioned this as well, making sure this time that Caspian wasn't around, but Lucy (the silly girl) said that the crewmen should get their water first since they were the ones working. Working? Ha! Eustace saw most of them standing about doing nothing for most the day! If they were working so hard then why weren't they any closer to civilization yet? _

_ At last Eustace received his cup, but just as he suspected, as it __**always**__ was, he had the least amount of water among any of them! Eustace was fed up. He'd had enough. He was tired of being treated as he was. He was never one to complain, much, but he would not stand for this anymore! He had to speak out this injustice!_

_ "Why does this always happen? Why do I always get less than everyone else?"_

_ "Eustace, you have received just as much as any of us have," Caspian insisted._

_ "No, I haven't. Look for yourself, if you must. You can clearly see how little I have compared to what you all have." _

_Eustace continued to argue his point for a few more minutes before __**she**__ intervened. __**She**__ was probably the best thing about this trip. __**She**__ was different from all the rest. __**She**__ never treated him poorly. __**She**__ was civilized, well, compared to the rest of them at least. __**She**__ could still be deluded like all the rest thinking the ship was nice and its crew favorable, but at least __**she**__ was more pleasing to look at. __**She**__ was someone Eustace could respect._

"_Oh bother it all," Ava said exasperated. "Here, Eustace, have mine."_

"_Ava no!" Caspian and Edmund began, but before they could stop her Ava had already poured the rest of her water into Eustace's cup. _

_ "Ava, you shouldn't have done that."_

_ "Oh don't patronize me, Caspian. It was my water to use as I pleased, at least I did not waste it. And besides, if I should truly feel the need for water, I will simply take a swim." With that, Ava arose and left the galley in a fury. Caspian and Eustace's cousins then turned their angry glares on him; they seemed to think it was his fault Ava got upset. How ridiculous was that? If anything Caspian was to blame; he was the one who talked down to her._

Eustace looked around the deck, deciding what else he should include in his entry for the day. He saw Edmund picking away at the shells on his new tin sword and that grotesque talking rat. Out of nowhere, a gull landed on one of the barrels beside him.

*"In England we have mousetraps for that sort of thing,"* Eustace told the bird, in reference to the talking rat. The bird squawked and cocked its head at Eustace as his stomach suddenly growled. "You don't know where I can find any food do?"

*"Uh, why are you talking to that bird?"* the large beast named Tavros asked. Eustace tried to explain how he logically assumed all the animals in this world could speak, but before he could barely get a word out Tavros and the man next to him started laughing at Eustace and calling him mad. How rude!

"Alright, that will be quite enough of that," Ava said as she stepped in front of Eustace. "All will be respected equally on this ship."

"Sorry, Princess," Tavros said, bowing his head in shame.

"Don't the two of you have some work to do?"

"Yes, Princess." Tavros and the crewman then left and went about their work, and Ava turned to Eustace.

"I apologize for them, Eustace. They should know better than to behave in such a way."

"Well, thank you, for that. At least someone around here knows how to behave," Eustace said.

Ava smiled. "How are you feeling today?"

"I've been better."

"Yes, I suppose we all have." Ava walked to the side of the boat and leaned against the rails. "I don't think anyone suspected that it would take so long to find the next island. Though, I suppose if it were easier to get to it would have been found long ago and be on maps today."

"How do you even know there is another island out there? Wouldn't it be best to just go back, where we know there is land?" Eustace asked as he stood beside Ava and leaned on the rail as well.

"I guess I can't say that I do know for certain that there is an island out there, but isn't that the adventure of it all? Discovering the unknown?" Ava looked at Eustace and saw that he clearly did not find pleasure in that idea. "You're not much of an adventurer though, so I suppose you wouldn't quite see the thrill of it."

"Oh, are you a writer?" she asked, noticing his book. "I think writing truly is a magnificent talent. I'm more of a dancer myself, but father writes a lot."

"Don't you mean he did write a lot?"

"No, he still writes quite a bit these days."

"How? Isn't your father…not to be rude or anything, but isn't he dead?"

"Dead? Why would say such a terrible thing?"

"I don't mean to. It's just, wouldn't your father have to be dead for Caspian to be king?"

"Why would my father have to be dead for that? Oh." Ava seemed to suddenly realize the problem. "I know what you're thinking. You believe Caspian is my brother, that our father was a king." Ava couldn't help but to giggle a little.

"Is that not so?" Eustace was confused.

"It is not."

"Then, are you a princess of another land?"

"I am not. I am a Narnian Princess. I'm the Naiad Princess actually."

"Naiad?"

"I am not like you, Eustace, or Lucy rather. I am no more a Daughter of Eve than Tavros is a Son of Adam. I am a Naiad, a water nymph. I was born of the water, and one day I shall day of the water. Just as my parents did before me."

"But you… you look normal."

"You know, I think that was almost a compliment." Ava ginned. Eustace ducked his head to hide the faint reddening of his cheeks.

"Wait, just as your parents? I thought you said your father still writes today."

"The father I speak of is Dr. Cornelius. He's my adoptive father really; I never knew my real parents."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks." Ava could tell that Eustace was sincere with his sentiments, and she smiled brightly; she knew this must be a rare aspect of his character that few, if any, ever saw. Ava and Eustace stood talking on the deck for a while longer, before Eustace wandered elsewhere.

XOXOX

"Good morning, Ava."

Ava didn't have to turn around to know who was talking to her now. There was only one person who could set her heart aflame and make her stomach flutter just by saying her name. Ava sighed. It had been nearly two weeks since she told Caspian that she couldn't feel for him in _that_ way, and yet, her feelings for him have not diminished. If anything they have only grown stronger in the absence of his touch. Ava bit her lip and smiled as she tried to reign in her feelings once more.

"Good morning, Caspian," Ava said as she turned her head to the right, unconsciously tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"I hope he wasn't bothering you," Caspian said referring to Eustace's retreating figure.

"Quite the opposite actually. We were having a rather pleasant conversation."

"Pleasant? Him?"

"He has a name, Caspian, and yes, he can be pleasant when he wants to be."

"I cannot seem to understand what it is you see in him that no one else does."

"I see a great good in him, Caspian. He has all the makings to be a noble lord, passion, knowledge, strength, if only he would learn to wield them for the good of all. I will not give up on him, even if he himself refuses to believe, I will believe."

There was a moment of silence between them when Ava looked back out over the sea. Caspian took the time to soak up her appearance; he had been trying to refrain from doing so, but couldn't keeps his eyes off her any longer. She was in the sailing suit given to her by Princess Tianna today, just as she had been for the past couple of weeks.

The Redhaven style was very different from the typical loose Narnian style. Ava's black pants literally hugged every inch of the skin on her legs and molded to every curve. Most of her legs though were covered by her knee high boots. Today she topped her ensemble off with a simple red shirt and a leather corset around her waist. Caspian had to peel his eyes away from her. Seeing her like this was not helping him to keep his thoughts and feelings in check like she asked him to.

"You look beautiful today, Ava," he said softly.

Ava sighed as she turned her head back to him. "Caspian, we talked about this. You agreed…."

"I agreed that we'd be friends. I never said that I'd cease to find you beautiful, and when a lady is beautiful she should be told so."

"Well, then I suppose I should say thank you." Ava quickly looked him over. He was keeping it simple in red pants and a beige shirt. His hair was down and the wind tossed it about. Losing control of her actions for a moment, Ava stepped closer to Caspian and tucked a bit of hair behind his ear, running her fingers over his cheek as she did so. The sensation sent shockwaves through both of them.

"Doing that doesn't help," Caspian murmured huskily.

Ava sighed heavily, dropped her hand to her side, and took a step back. "I know. I'm sorry."

Caspian felt he was about to plead his case for them to be together once more, but he was saved by a crewmen interrupting them and asking for the Princess.

"Yes, Rhince, what is it?" Ava asked.

"Rynelf has become feverish. Voltinus said you might be able to heal him, before it spreads to any other crewmen."

"Of course, Rhince. I will see what I can do. I will need a bucket of sea water."

"Sea water?" asked Caspian. "I thought you needed fresh water for healing."

"It is preferred, but I dare not risk using what little drinking water we have. I will make do with sea water."

XOXOX

After fetching a bucket of sea water, Ava followed Rhince down to where Rynelf was lying ill. Ava began the healing process immediately, but it took her over an hour to get Rynelf back to a healthy condition; even then he would not be on duty that night. Healing Rynelf to the best that she could took a lot of magic and energy from Ava, more than it should, and she had to retreat to her cabin to rest and recover.

Ava missed all the excitement that happened that afternoon. Reepicheep had caught Eustace trying to steal an orange and challenged him to a duel. The duel really turned out to be more of a training session for Eustace; regardless though, the whole crew gathered around to witness the hysterical event. Caspian, who had sat in the State Room all afternoon watching Ava sleep, missed the duel, but had he seen it he might have seen what Ava meant about Eustace having the makings of a lord.

As the afternoon sun began to give way to the evening sun, the _Dawn Treader_ came upon land at last: a group of islands with nothing but rolling green hills and tempting beaches. Edmund had come for Caspian when the islands had been spotted, and they went to the poop deck with Drinian. After some debate on whether or not they should stop—Drinian thought the apparent deserted island could be a trap, Edmund thought it could hold answers, but they all knew the Lords would have stopped there—Caspian decided that they would spend the night on the ship and explore the island in the morning.

* * *

><p><strong>There, a little correction from the movie. King Caspian would never opt to spend the night on shore of a strange island he knows nothing about. As usual, the * indicates direct quotes. The quotes in this chapter are from the movie.<strong>

**So, yes, Ava still has strong feelings for Caspian. How many problems will this cause? How long will it take before they cave into their feelings again? I suppose you'll just have to keep an eye out for future chapters to find out. ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

For anyone interested, a picture of Ava's sailing outfit from Princess Tianna is on my profile. This is basically what she will be wearing for the rest of the voyage.

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 12**

Ava stood on the high deck looking over the port side. The eastern horizon was just beginning to glow with the early morning sun, casting the island before the _Dawn Treader_ into a dim grey light. After healing Rynelf from his high temperature, Ava had slept for the rest of the day recovering. Ava was beginning to worry. It was becoming harder for her to access and use her magic, and it took more out of her to do even the simplest of tasks. Healing was not an easy thing to do, but it had never taken her a whole day to recover from a single treatment. What was wrong?

After waking, very early mind you, Ava tried to remain in bed so as not to disturb Lucy, but as she lay there she began to feel a strange pull. She could not describe the sensation. She slowly and carefully climbed out of the bed and made her way outside. As she walked she realized that the ship didn't have its usual rock; they were standing still. Ava followed the strange pull all the way to the high deck, where she now stood, and saw the reason for their stillness: an island.

Ava had no idea how long she had been standing there nor how long she continued to stand there, but when she had begun the sun had yet to begin its rise and when she was drawn from her trance like gaze the sun had fully risen.

XOXOX

"Yes, Drinian? What is it you needed to tell us?" Caspian asked as he and Edmund joined the Captain on the main deck.

"This is really something you have to see for yourselves," Drinian said before leading them up to the high deck.

"Ava! I see you're feeling better," Edmund said upon seeing the Princess. Ava did not respond but continued to stare, unblinking, upon the island.

"Ava?" Caspian questioned.

"She's been like that since I got up here," Drinian said. "I've tried calling to her several times; I've even touched her shoulder once or twice, but she's been completely unresponsive."

"Ava, what's wrong?" Caspian asked, stepping forward. Ava continued to just stare. "Ava?"

Caspian reached out and placed a hand on Ava's shoulder. She suddenly jumped at his touch and looked around, as if confused. Then she saw Caspian and smiled warmly.

"Good morning, Caspian." When none of the guys responded, Ava continued. "What are you all staring at?"

"What were you staring at?" Edmund asked.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Are you feeling alright, Ava?" Caspian asked.

"Yes. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You were just staring at that island. Drinian says you've been at it for awhile," Edmund answered.

"Island? What island?" While she had been speaking with them, Ava had turned away from the island, but now that Edmund mentioned it she looked over her shoulder at the island and fell silent once more.

"Ava?" Caspian once more had to reach out and touch Ava's shoulder to get her attention. "Ava?"

"Caspian," she whispered. Ava looked back and forth between Caspian and the island and blinked several times; she was trying to fight off the pull. "That island…there's something strange about it. Caspian, have any of the crew been on it yet?"

"No. We were going to explore it this morning."

"Good. I would like to be among the party that goes."

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, Caspian, I promise. It's just…I can't explain it. There's just something about that island. I must go to it. Please, let me go with the party."

"If that is what you want, and you are certain you are fine, then of course you may go."

XOXOX

Two long boats with an exploring party rowed quietly to the strange island with rolling green hills. The party had left after everyone had breakfast, and after Drinian had tried to warn them against going once more. After Ava's curious behavior that morning, Drinian was even more suspicious about what awaited them on the island. Caspian had grown suspicious as well, but in the end, the need to replenish their supplies outweighed their concerns for the island.

As they neared the island, Ava could feel the strange pull grow stronger, but it wasn't until she was standing on the beach that she truly felt the effects of the pull. Ava gasped and nearly toppled over as the pull overwhelmed her. Drinian was nearest to her and caught her by the arms.

"Princess?"

"Ava!" Caspian rushed over.

"It's alright. I'm fine. I just need to get my bearings." Ava said as she regained her footing.

"What happened?" Edmund asked.

"It's just this island, a great Magician lives here and his magic overwhelmed me."

"Magician? I don't like the sound of that," Drinian said.

"Oh, he is not a bad Magician. There is not a trace of ill will in his magic anywhere," Ava explained.

"You can sense things like that?" Edmund asked.

"Oh, yes. Can you not?" Ava asked and they all shook their heads no. "I do not know how I could not have realized it before. The Lone Islands were full of ill boding, I felt it the moment we arrived, but this place, though it is as quiet, could not be more different. Come, we must find the Magician at once."

Ava had begun to sprint into the woods, but Caspian quickly grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Ava, wait," he pleaded. He was unsure of what to do. He had never seen her act so strange before. He looked to Drinian for advice.

"With all due respect, Princess, I fear this may be a trap. We should head back to the ship at once," Drinian replied.

"A trap?" Ava's spirit sounded crushed and her face displayed the hurt she felt at the Captain's words. She turned her watery blue eyes to Caspian. "Caspian, you must trust me. I would not lead my people into danger. The Magician will not harm us."

"Sire, you know where I stand on the issue," Drinian said as Caspian looked back at him once more.

Caspian nodded. "Thank you for your input, Drinian, but we both must accept that there will be some things that the Princess will know that we do not. We will continue onward."

Ava beamed and turned to head into the woods again, her excitement taking over. Caspian, though, was still grasping her hand and he pulled her back once more.

"But," he said. "You will stay behind me." Ava sighed at his protectiveness, but allowed him to take the lead.

XOXOX

Ava followed closely and eagerly behind Caspian pointing the way as he led with his sword out before him. Ava could barely contain her excitement. She had never felt something so wonderful before, magically speaking of course. Her kiss with Caspian was still the best thing she had ever experienced, but for once she wasn't thinking of that moment. They had made it through the small bit of wood and they were now walking through what appeared to be a garden. The grass was perfectly mowed, and the shrubs were all well trimmed and shaped. It was a garden that looked like it would take a hundred gardeners to maintain, and yet they saw no one about. No homes. No buildings. No anything.

"I have a very peculiar feeling," Lucy said softly. "I could almost swear that someone was watching us. Does anyone else feel that way?"

A couple of the crew murmured their agreement and Ava paused to think this through. Suddenly she felt it too!

"Stop!" she whispered harshly as she grabbed Caspian's shoulder. "Lucy's right. Something's watching us. Shh, everyone stop," she whispered to the rest of the party.

"What is it, Ava?" Caspian whispered.

The only response Ava gave was a finger over her lips to silence him. She stepped in front of him, shaking his hand off her shoulder as he tried to stop her, while her hand went to a small canteen of water that she'd decided to carry on her hip. Her fingers silently twisted the canteen cap off as she continued to walk forwards. She could feel another presence around them, and she was almost certain it wasn't the Magician.

"Who's there?" she called out. There was no response. "I know you're there." There was still no response. Ava held the canteen cap in one hand and with the other she was going to throw a stream of water onto the presence, but it noticed the movement of her hand and thought she was going for her sword.

"Take her now!"

"Take her weapon!"

Two voices suddenly cried out from the empty silence, and before anybody could do anything four hands grabbed Ava's arms and yanked her away from the rest of the party. Another set of hands grabbed her sword and tossed it aside. Ava landed hard on her back on the ground. She quickly tried getting back up but the hands shoved her down and held her there in a sitting position.

"Ava!" Caspian immediately tried running to her but he too was thrown backwards to the ground while his sword was pulled from his hands. Out of nowhere spears flew into the ground in a circle around the Narnian party, narrowly missing some.

"Stay right there! Do as we say and no one gets hurt!" one of the mysterious voices said.

"Well put, Chief!" a chorus echoed.

"I order you to show yourselves!" Caspian commanded.

"If you could see us we wouldn't be here."

"We couldn't have said it better, Chief."

"What are you?" Lucy asked what everybody wanted to know.

"We are terrifying beasts, we are!"

"With huge fangs!"

"And sharp claws!"

"And we are very large!" Many of the voices tried growling as if to prove their point.

"If you could see us now you would be very frightened."

Ava thought the voices hardly sounded threatening at all. "I thought you said if we could see you then you wouldn't be here?"

"Right you are. Right you are!"

"Well put lass!"

Ava couldn't help but roll her eyes; these invisible creatures were making no sense.

"What do you want?" Edmund asked.

"We want the girl!"

"No!" Caspian said quickly, his eyes focusing only on Ava.

"What do you want me for?" Ava asked at the same time.

"Not you. We want the other girl."

"Well said, Chief."

"That's right, the other girl."

"What? Why do you want me then?" Lucy asked.

"Uh, well… it's kind of a long story. Perhaps we should all sit down?"

"Well put, Chief."

Ava was already growing tired of the echoing voices, and hearing their story only made her displeasure worse. The chief voice could not say more than a few sentences without the chorus interrupting with their praise.

By the end of the chief's story the Narnians, who had remained standing, had learned that these invisible creatures were once beautiful beings who were made to work and tend to the garden around them. Then one day the Magician, or as they called him the Oppressor, became very angry with them for not doing something that they didn't want to do and so he "uglified" them. These creatures couldn't stand the sight of themselves so one afternoon they snuck into the Oppressor's library and read a spell from his book to make themselves invisible. Now, they were tired of being invisible.

"Well, why do you need me?" Lucy asked when the story was finished.

"Don't you see? Didn't you hear? It must be a young girl who reads the spell or the Oppressor himself, else wise it will not work."

"Well said, Chief."

"That's right. That's right."

"Don't you have any daughters that could do it?" Lucy asked.

"Well sure we do. But we dare not send them in there again!"

"In other words, you ask Lucy to do something that you are too cowardly to do yourselves!" Ava exclaimed.

"That's right. That's right."

"Well said."

"Now hand the young girl over and we will give you this one back," the chief voice said.

"But that makes no sense," Ava said before Lucy could say anything. Ava already knew what Lucy was going to do, because Ava would do the same thing. "If it's a girl you need to read the spell then send me and leave the rest of them out of this."

"No, it won't work that way."

"Weren't you listening?"

"It must be a young girl."

"You're too old."

"Well said, Chief; well said."

_"Old?"_ Ava thought. _"Old?"_ She was not old! She wasn't even twenty yet. She was far from old! Ava became so furious and flustered at the age comment that she could not speak. So, she pulled her arms out of their grasp and crossed them over her chest. She held her mouth closed tightly.

"Alright, fine," Lucy said. "But if I agree to do this, then you must promise to release my friends at once, or else there is no deal."

"Uh…can we do that?"

"I don't see why not?"

"We won't need them if she does what we want."

While the invisible creatures were discussing whether or not they could let the rest of the Narnians go after Lucy went inside, Edmund turned and whispered quietly to Lucy and Caspian.

"Lucy you can't go in there. You don't know what the Oppressor is capable of."

"You sound like them, Ed," Lucy argued back. "Ava said that she can't sense any ill intent from the Magician."

"What if she was wrong and Drinian was right? What if this is just a trap? We seem to be pretty trapped right now."

"Nonsense, Edmund. You believe Ava don't you, Caspian?"

"Well, yes, but…Ed's got a point. We don't know what's waiting inside this mansion they speak of. Ava's never done anything like this before," Caspian replied.

Little did they know, but Ava had heard everything they had said and now she was even more upset.

"That's because I've never come across another Magician before, Your Highness," Ava said bitterly.

"Ava, I…"

"Do you still stand by what you said on the beach, Ava? That the Magician will not hurt us?" Lucy asked, cutting off Caspian's reply.

"I do, Lucy. The only ill will I feel at the present time is my own."

"Then it's settled. I'll go. No, Edmund, I must go. I will not stand here and watch you all fight invisible creatures when you do not know how many there are nor what sort of weapons they may have. Not when I can prevent it by stepping into a house and reading a little spell. Don't you get the feeling that these creatures aren't very brave? And besides, I trust Ava."

"Have you made a decision then?" the chief voice asked.

"I have if you have. I will go, but only if you release my friends."

"Yes, yes we will do that. We have no need for them."

"Up you go then, little lass."

Once more four hands grabbed Ava by the arms and hoisted her up to her feet. As Lucy stepped forward, the creatures walked with Ava towards the party. Ava and Lucy walked by each other with hesitant yet grateful smiles. Then, suddenly, Ava was pushed forward and stumbled into Caspian, who caught her in his arms and held her securely against his chest.

"Alright now, just step inside the mansion here," the chief voice said. The Narnians could all hear the squeaking of a door being pulled open and before their eyes a doorway appeared leading into a great foyer of an ancient manor.

"Upstairs in the library is where you'll find the book. Read the spell that makes the unseen seen."

"Got it?"

"Don't forget it now."

"Alright, alright. I've got it. And what about my friends?" Lucy asked before she stepped inside.

"Yeah, yeah. They're all free to go now if they want. We won't hold 'em or harm 'em."

"We'll be waiting right here, Lu," Edmund called out to his sister. She nodded before stepping inside. The door squeaked again as it closed, and Lucy vanished from sight.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter because I don't know when the next update will be. It may be a week or more. I am going out of town tomorrow for a job interview and won't be back until late Monday night. On top of that, I have been very busy this week preparing for this interview and helping to set upplan a 50th anniversary for my Grandparents (in-laws) which is tonight, and attending funeral services for another in-law relative. So, I haven't done any writing this week except like two paragraphs (how awful!) **

**Good news though, I have about a four hour drive in a car (in which my husband will be driving and I will be riding) to write! So hopefully I'll get most of the next chapter written out so ya'll won't have to wait too long! Keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck (if you want to that is!)**

**And thanks so much to all of you for reading, reviewing, alerting, and favoriting my stories. It means so much to me! It really, really does! As a special treat to show you how grateful I am, here is a sneak peak at chapter 13.**

* * *

><p>"They're gone," Ava said curiously when she could no longer feel the presence of the voices.<p>

"Are you certain?" Caspian asked, his chest vibrating against Ava's body; she was still wrapped in his arms, but not for long. She could hear the doubt in his voice and she pushed away from him.

"I am most certain!" she said angrily. "I am glad to see that those who have sworn their friendship trust me so little! At least I can say that Lucy trusts me fully!"

"Well, you did lead us into this mess," Drinian replied; he was being a little nastier than usual because everyone was beginning to feel the stress of the voyage.

Ava had begun to walk away, but at Drinian's comment she turned back around with tears in her eyes. She wanted so desperately to unleash all her anger and all her hurt upon him, and maybe three years ago she would have. But she remembered the last time she voiced her anger before thinking, and she remembered how disappointed Aslan had been with her for it. She never wanted to disappoint the Great Lion again. So, she took a minute or two to think things through before responding.

"My magic led us here, Captain," Ava said at last, slowly. "My magic is all I am. If I cannot trust my magic, then what can I trust?" Ava felt a few tears fall and she quickly wiped them away.

"Ava," Caspian said softly as he stepped forward and reached out for her. Ava shook her head and cringed away from him; she did not want his comfort now.

"Where are you going?" Caspian asked as she began to walk away once more.

"I prefer to spend my time waiting for Lucy in the company of those who respect me."


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi! I'll put my author's note at the bottom so you can just read now! :D**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 13**

Ava watched as an invisible door closed behind Lucy and she disappeared inside the invisible house. Once the door closed the voices said they didn't need to stay around. The next thing the Narnians knew, the spears were pulled from the ground and turned invisible once more, and a great thumping surrounded their party. The thumping and the chattering voices slowly faded into the distance.

"They're gone," Ava said curiously when she could no longer feel the presence of the voices.

"Are you certain?" Caspian asked, his chest vibrating against Ava's body; she was still wrapped in his arms, but not for long. She could hear the doubt in his voice and she pushed away from him.

"I am most certain!" she said angrily. "I am glad to see that those who have sworn their friendship trust me so little! At least I can say that Lucy trusts me fully!"

"Well, you did lead us into this mess," Drinian replied; he was being a little nastier than usual because everyone was beginning to feel the stress of the voyage.

Ava had begun to walk away, but at Drinian's comment she turned back around with tears in her eyes. She wanted so desperately to unleash all her anger and all her hurt upon him, and maybe three years ago she would have. But she remembered the last time she voiced her anger before thinking, and she remembered how disappointed Aslan had been with her for it. She never wanted to disappoint the Great Lion again. So, she took a minute or two to think things through before responding.

"My magic led us here, Captain," Ava said at last, slowly. "My magic is all I am. If I cannot trust my magic, then what can I trust?" Ava felt a few tears fall and she quickly wiped them away.

"Ava," Caspian said softly as he stepped forward and reached out for her. Ava shook her head and cringed away from him; she did not want his comfort now.

"Where are you going?" Caspian asked as she began to walk away once more.

"I prefer to spend my time waiting for Lucy in the company of those who respect me."

Caspian watched in horror as Ava walked away from him, with tears in her eyes, and took a seat on the ground next to Eustace of all people. What had he done? How did he let this happen? He hurt her! He doubted her, and he hurt her! How could he do this to her? And what did he have to do earn her forgiveness, that is, if he could he earn it.

XOXOX

Lucy was sick and tired. She was tired of being seen as the "cute little girl" or the "younger sister of Susan" or even as the "youngest Pevensie." She missed being grown, being older, being beautiful, more than she would ever admit to anyone. She remembered what it was like to have suitors come and call on her. She would pretend, before Peter and Edmund, that she disliked the suitors coming for her because she felt she was supposed to in order to remain their baby sister. In secret, the idea of suitors thrilled her; for a few moments it was all about her and her beauty, not Susan's.

Lucy wanted to feel like she did when she was in Narnia the first time. She wanted to feel important, valued, like she was of some use. But more than anything, Lucy wanted to feel beautiful again. She wanted boys to see her the way they saw Susan. Or rather, she wanted one to look at her the way Caspian looked at Ava, with pure adoration and love. That's why when she had a glimpse of the beauty given by the Infallible Spell, she knew she needed more.

Lucy carefully but quickly ripped the page from the Magician's book. As she did a great lion's roar echoed through the room and ruffled the pages. Lucy heard her named whispered amongst the roar by an unmistakable voice.

"Aslan?" Lucy asked as she looked around for the Great Lion. She could see him nowhere. She looked down at the page she held in her hands. She knew it had been Aslan who called her name, and she knew it was probably a warning. But as she stared at the page, her want, her _need_ to be beautiful outweighed Aslan's warning and she stuffed the page up her shirt.

Lucy stepped back up to the Magician's book and read over the pages that were now displayed. "A spell to make the unseen seen," she read aloud. "This is it! *Like the 'p' in psychology, the 'h' in psychiatry*…" she began to read the spell aloud.

XOXOX

Caspian couldn't take it anymore. It had been close to an hour since Lucy disappeared inside the mansion. Which means, it had been close to an hour since Ava had shoved away from him in anger and walked away in tears. As Caspian watched her now, he could see how upset she still was. She sat alone, Eustace had left her side some time ago, with her back to a bush and her knees tucked into her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her head was bowed, her forehead resting on a knee. She had been sitting like that for awhile now, and Caspian had finally had enough of seeing her in such pain. As he walked closer to her he could see her shoulders shaking with sobs.

He sat down quietly next to her. "Ava."

"Go away," she said not even looking up.

"Ava, please…"

"I said go away. I'm angry with you and I don't want to talk to you right now. I don't know if I'll ever want to talk to you again! Not if you don't trust me!"

"Ava, you can't avoid me for the rest of the voyage. We have a long journey before us still."

"I don't…necessarily. I can return to Narnia whenever I please. All I have to do is swim."

Her words caused Caspian so much pain, he could not respond immediately. Had he really upset her that much? Had his doubt, his foolishness pushed her that far? Had he lost her friendship already? She wouldn't really leave him, and give up her time with Lucy, would she?

"We both know you wouldn't do that," he said with conviction after thinking about it.

"And why wouldn't I?"

"Because you wouldn't leave Lucy." He knew that if she were really that angry then she would not stay for him but she would for Lucy. Ava lifted her head and stared blankly ahead. He was right.

"Ava, please look at me," he requested. "Please," he added again before she slowly turned her head to face him. Her eyes still held tears and her cheeks were red from crying. Caspian didn't delude himself; he knew he was the primary cause of her pain.

"I am sorry I doubted you. It was a moment of weakness; 'we all have our moments of weakness at some point.'" He smiled feebly, remembering when she first said those words to him. It was after he nearly resurrected the White Witch; he still had the scar on his left hand from the jagged blade of the Hag.

He shook the painful memory form his mind and continued. "I know how important your magic is to you. I of all people should know that. I promise I will not doubt you again. Will you please forgive me?"

"You should not promise that. You are but a man, I am sure you will doubt me at other times."

"Then I shall promise to always _try_ to refrain from doubting you. Can I make that promise?"

Ava thought about it for a moment before nodding her head. "I suppose that is acceptable," she said with a small smile.

Caspian chuckled warmly and Ava scooted closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder while he wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her to his body. She, in turn, wrapped her arm around his waist and hugged him back. He placed a tender kiss on her forehead before resting his cheek against it. They sat like that for some time.

"I hate fighting with you." Ava said quietly after several minutes.

"I do not like it either."

"Why do you think we do it so often then?"

"Because we both care a great deal about the other and we do not want them in any situation that might cause them harm. And…we are both very stubborn."

Ava giggled and hugged him a little tighter as he tickled her side at the last statement. "I am glad to hear you admit to your stubbornness as well."

"And I am glad to hear you laugh." He tickled her again. She squealed a little and tried to squirm out of his embrace, but he only held her tighter.

"Caspian, please," she begged for him to stop.

"Alright, I'll stop. I promise. You can come back." Caspian held up his hands in a sign of surrender. Ava hesitated only slightly before laying her head back down on Caspian's shoulder; he returned his arm to where it was around her waist.

"I have thought of another reason why we fight," Ava said.

"And why is that?"

"Because the moments we spend making up are some of my happiest memories."

"They are mine as well."

Ava looked up at Caspian and he looked down at her. His gaze was intense and it made her heart race wildly. As she stared into his eyes, she saw the warmth, the passion that he held only for her, and it made her heart ache. She thought back to their kiss and how amazing it had made her feel. She longed for that feeling again. She longed to feel his lips on hers again. Caspian wanted to feel Ava's lips again too, but after she'd chosen her magic over him he swore to himself that if he were to taste her sweet kiss again it would be at her bidding and not his.

Caspian and Ava were so wrapped up in each other that they did not notice what was going on around them. They did not hear Eustace's cry of _"Look! What are those things?"_ They did not see the strange creatures that were slowly becoming visible around them. The creatures that were no taller than a Dwarf but had only one leg and one very large foot were tending to the garden around the Narnian party. Caspian and Ava also failed to hear the joyous cries from these creatures as they realized they were visible again and they began to jump around and do back flips, and front flips, and sideways flips, and all sorts of other flips.

No, Caspian and Ava saw none of that. They only saw each other. They saw each other's eyes and lips. And they saw the distance separating their lips grow smaller and smaller as Ava tried, and failed, to resist the urge to kiss Caspian. Caspian too fought an urge, the urge to close the distance rapidly and capture Ava's lips with his own. But he stood by his promise; however, the arm that was wrapped around Ava's waist, slightly pulled her forward.

Their noses brushed against each other and now she could feel his warm breath on her skin. Caspian's eyes closed as he waited for the feel of her lips. Unwittingly his other hand came to rest on her neck, ready to bury itself in her hair. His thumb brushed over her soft, rosy cheek. Just as their lips were about to meet, Ava felt her magic flare.

"Oh!" she cried out in surprise as she jumped back. Caspian gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

"Oh!" she cried again as she jumped to her feet. "It's him! Look! Look, Caspian, it's him!"

Caspian got to his feet and looked in the direction that Ava was pointing. The mansion had become visible too and now Lucy was walking out of it with a man at her side. The man appeared much older than Caspian himself, and he looked much wiser too. He had a short, pointy grey beard and short dark hair spotted with grey. He was wearing a brown tunic and pants with an intricate green and gold robe. Caspian knew at once that he must be the Magician.

"Ed, look," Caspian said as he approached the young King; he and Drinian had not yet noticed Lucy and the man walking out.

"Lucy!" Edmund exclaimed at the sight of his sister unharmed.

Caspian and Edmund stood beside each other as the Magician approached them. *"Your Majesties,"* the Magician said with a bow.

*"Caspian, and Edmund,"* Lucy introduced them. *"This is Coriakin. It's his island."*

"Yours is the magic I felt pull me here," Ava said in a very dreamy voice as she stepped up beside Caspian. She looked upon the Magician with wide eyed wonderment.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess," Coriakin said as he held his hands out for Ava to take.

"Likewise, great Magician," she replied, placing her hands in his.

"You have done well, Young One. You have brought your friends here just as I have asked. I hope my magic call did not frighten you too much."

"I was never frightened by it."

"Then you are a brave, young Princess indeed. I hope I did not cause too much strife between you and your friends then." At this the Magician's eyes flickered over Edmund, Caspian, and Drinian who all cast their eyes to the ground in shame.

"It was nothing she will not forgive them for later," Lucy said.

"Come; let us head inside while your crew replenishes your stores. They will find a fresh water stream very close to here and they may help themselves to any of the produce." Coriakin made to head back in the mansion.

"Wait," Edmund said stopping him. "What about them? What did you do to them?" He pointed to the creatures still hopping about but keeping their distance from the Magician.

"I have not harmed them, young King. They are Dufflepuds. They find peace and happiness working in elaborate gardens. Some of the plants grew taller than they could reach, so I have given them the ability to reach great heights. They say I have uglified them, but trust me they are a vast improvement from what they were before."

"Why did you call us here?" Caspian asked.

"You follow the path of the Six Lords and you seek to defeat the Green Mist. I have information that you will need if you wish to succeed." This, of course, perked all their interest. "Come inside and I will show you there."

Coriakin turned to go inside again and this time they all followed. Except for Edmund and Ava; Edmund had stopped Ava from following by calling her name. Ava did not fully turn to him for she so desperately wanted to follow Coriakin, but she did turn her head.

"I'm sorry, Ava. I shouldn't have doubted you," Edmund said.

Ava smiled. "It's alright, Ed. All is forgiven," Ava replied before following the others into the mansion.

XOXOX

Coriakin led the six of them, Eustace and Drinian had followed as well, to his library. There he unrolled a large magical map and told them all he knew about the mist. The source of the Green Mist was Dark Island near the edge of the world. On the map the island had columns and towers of black smoke surrounding it; solid land could not be seen through all the smoke. The island looked daunting enough on the map, and Ava dreaded to see what it was like in real life.

Coriakin then proceeded to tell them that to defeat the mist they had to break the spell of Dark Island. In order to do that, they had to find the remaining six swords of the lost lords. When they had all seven swords they needed to lay them at Aslan's Table on Ramandu's Island and to find Ramandu's Island they had to follow the blue star. Sounded easy enough, except that Coriakin warned them that Dark Island sought to extinguish the light from the world and corrupt all goodness, taking any form it deemed necessary and bringing to life their worst nightmares.

*"Beware,"* Coriakin warned as he finished, *"You are all about to be tested."*

*"Tested?"* Lucy asked, confused. Tested how?

*"Until you lay down the seventh sword, evil has the upper hand. It will do everything in its power to tempt you."* Coriakin stepped closer to Lucy and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. *"Be strong."*

Coriakin then crossed to the other side of the map where Ava stood between Caspian and Edmund. He took her hands in his again and looked directly into her eyes. Ava felt the tingling of her magic before she heard the Magician's voice in her head. His lips did not move, but she knew it was Coriakin speaking to her.

_"Be wary of your heart, Princess. The stronger your feelings grow for your King, the weaker your magic will become. You have already begun to feel its effects. The simplest tasks are becoming much harder; soon they will be impossible, if you do not reign in your feelings."_

Ava's eyes dropped in sadness. So that's what was happening to her. She was losing her magic because she was falling in love. She really couldn't have both. Her eyes flickered over to Caspian and met his gaze. He saw the despair on her face and made to move towards her, but Drinian held him back with a hand on his shoulder. Ava turned her eyes back to Coriakin's.

_"Please tell me, learned Magician," _Ava sent back to him with her mind without really knowing how she did it._ "How does one keep their heart from feeling what it was made to feel? How does one stop a force as strong and as unbreakable as love? How can I choose between my magic and my King?"_

Coriakin smiled faintly. "That, Princess, is a question only you can answer," he said aloud before dropping her hands.

*"Don't fall to temptation,"* Coriakin said to the whole group as he stepped away from Ava. *"To defeat the darkness out there, you must defeat the darkness inside yourself."*

Everyone looked back down at the map to where Dark Island lay in smoke and shadow. The Magician's words weighed heavily on their minds. They all knew, even Eustace knew on some level, that things were about to become much more difficult.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I managed to update in a week. Are you happy you didn't have to wait too long? I couldn't really bear to make you wait any longer. Thanks so much for all the well wishes. Interview went ok, not great but not terrible. To be honest I don't really know how it went, but I do know I have another interview coming up now; different position but essentially the same thing. This interview is in town so I don't have to travel as far which is good.<strong>

**Well enough about me. How was the chapter and the wait? So Ava is beginning to have a difficult time with her magic thanks to her developing feelings. How will this affect the rest of the voyage? ****How about 3 cheers for Caspian for being a gentleman and waiting "patiently" for Ava to close the gap...but then Coriakin had to ruin the moment. ;) Sorry about that! I hope to have chapter 14 up within in the week sometime. Thanks for sticking with me!**

**As usual, the * indicates direct quotes; these are from the movie.**


	14. Chapter 14

**So, chapter 15 isn't completely done...but it's close and I can't bear to make you wait more than a week. So here comes chapter 14. Beware...it's a bit odd.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 14**

The water felt like silks as Ava moved through it. Fresh water was so different than salty sea water. Fresh water smelt, and felt better; it left Ava's skin feeling cleaner and smoother than sea water. If Ava had to choose between swimming in fresh water or swimming in the sea, it would be no contest. Ava would choose fresh water every time.

Ava was so glad she found this fresh water river, though she wished she knew where she was exactly. Ava thought that swimming in this river was almost like swimming in the Great River in Narnia. Wait! That's where she was! She was swimming in the Great River! How did she not see it before? It was so obvious now. Strange. Ava could have sworn that she was in a different river, but the moment she thought about the Great River it was suddenly clear that she could be nowhere else.

Oh well. Ava wouldn't question it now.

Ava rolled over on her back so that she could see the Narnian sky. It was a bright summer day and the sky was a clear robin's egg blue with fluffy white clouds. While sailing the great Eastern Sea, Ava had seen sunsets unlike any other. The sky would be flooded with rich royal purples and majestic magentas, but there was something so heartwarming and comforting about the simple Narnian blue sky that Ava loved so dearly.

Ava stretched her arms out to her side to soak up the warmth of the sun and felt the soft grass beneath her. Grass? _"I thought I was swimming? Hmm…"_ She must have gotten out of the river without realizing it. Oh well. Water, grass, it really didn't matter much to Ava at the moment; she was home.

Ava curled her toes and rubbed her arms over the soft grass, sighing contently as she did. It felt great to be home once more. She loved sailing on the _Dawn Treader_, but nothing beat being home. From the corner of her eye Ava saw a flashing light, so she sat up to see what it was. Her heart swelled with pride, joy, and love. Just down the hill from her, at the mouth of the Great River, and on the edge of the Eastern Sea, sat Cair Paravel glistening in the sun light like a brilliantly cut diamond, no diamond could shine greater. Waves crashed on the shore and gulls squawked over head. How had she missed these sounds before?

Ava got to her feet and was about to run down to the beach and follow it to Cair Paravel, when someone called her name. Ava looked over her shoulder and saw a large gathering of Narnians. Voltinus and Mentius were there along with Tavros, Kobar, Selenius, Trufflehunter, Patterwig, Glenstorm, why even Trumpkin was there. Chérie was there too, and she had been the one who called Ava's name.

There were many other Narnians present as well. Ava could hear the Dwarfs on their drums and the Fauns and Satyrs playing their flutes. Some of the great Willow trees plucked their taut branches like a harp. There was a great festival being held on the Dancing Lawn where they were gathered.

Ava looked back and forth between the Dancing Lawn and Cair Paravel. She didn't think the two places she loved the most were that close, in fact, she knew there weren't. "Then why…?"

Oh well. Ava shook it off. Did it really matter? She was home.

Ava turned towards the Narnians and sprinted over to the Dancing Lawn where she entered into the festivities at once. She joined a dance she knew and loved well, the Dance of the Blooms which celebrated the start of Spring. The Dance of the Blooms in summer? It was odd, but... Oh well. Ava's bare feet moved effortlessly over the soft grass hardly touching the ground at all as she jumped through the air. Ava was free and alive; nothing could make this day better. Scratch that. If Caspian were present then things truly couldn't get better.

Just as Ava thought about Caspian, one of his strong, familiar hands wrapped around her waist while his other grasped her right hand and spun her around to face him. Ava immediately placed her free hand on his shoulder and they began to dance around together. Ava wasn't as familiar with the traditional Telmarine dances as she was the Narnian ones, but she let Caspian lead her around the Dancing Lawn nonetheless. They were a perfect team, and they danced together with ease.

As their dance ended the Narnians erupted with cheers. Caspian laughed loudly before bowing in thanks to Ava; she bowed back. Her eyes never left his though, for there was something that she had been longing to do again for some time. Now there was nothing to stop her and nothing holding her back. Caspian seemed to be thinking the same thing she was, and simultaneously they wrapped their arms around each other. His went around her waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss and their tongues began an intricate dance of their own. Their kiss was natural, effortless. It was like they'd been doing this sort of thing for years. Their bodies blended together in perfect unison. Her hands locked around his neck while his traced patterns up her back before tangling in her hair. This kiss was needy, full of passion and hungry desire. The feel of his kiss was…different than she remembered it to be, but spectacular in its own way. Maybe she just remembered it wrong.

Oh well. She didn't want to question it now; she just wanted to enjoy their connection.

After several minutes, Ava reluctantly pulled back and broke the kiss. She would have stayed longer if she could, but she needed air. Caspian didn't let a thing like air stop him though. He cupped her face in his hands and showered it with kisses. His beard tickled and Ava laughed angelically. The sound of her laughter drew his lips back to hers where he gave her several small, hungry kisses before pausing and leaning his forehead against hers.

"I need you, Ava. Be my Queen?" he asked breathlessly.

Ava thought maybe she should be surprised at his confession, but she wasn't. And she knew she should probably consider his proposal seriously before answering, but she didn't. "I love you too, Caspian. Of course I'll be your Queen."

All of a sudden several things seemed to happen at once. The first thing Ava noticed was that a ring had appeared on her left ring finger. It was a delicate woven band made of the finest gold and crafted by the most skilled Dwarf. The second thing Ava noticed was that the music and the dancing had stopped abruptly. Ava found this to be very peculiar. Usually the dancing and festivities would last until the early morning, and now the sun had barely begun to set. Ava looked around at the startled faces of the Narnians. Chérie was the closest one to her, and she looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Chérie, what's wrong?" Ava asked.

"How could you say such a thing?" Chérie responded.

"What do you mean?"

"How could you choose him? Do we mean nothing to you?"

"You mean everything to me, Chérie, you know that."

"Then how could you betray us so?"

"I—I love him, Chérie. I love him. How can I keep from doing so?"

"Then you have betrayed us, Ava. You cannot be our Princess anymore."

"No! No, I don't want that to happen. I will find a way to do both, to be the Princess and to love Caspian. I swear I will not abandon you."

"It is too late for that, Ava. You have already decided. The magic is lost; once it is lost it cannot be regained."

"That—that can't be true," Ava refused to believe Chérie's words. "I can still feel it. I can still feel the magic within me. It's not too late, Chérie."

"If that is so, then heal Voltinus; he is wounded."

Chérie pointed to her left and Ava noticed, for the first time, Voltinus lying on the ground. He had a strange enemy arrow, with a green feathered end, sticking out of his chest; he was quickly losing blood. Ava did not hesitate to begin moving to his side, but she did not get far. Caspian held her hand and pulled her back.

"Ava you can't," he said.

"Caspian, I must," Ava insisted as she pulled her hand free and rushed to Voltinus' aid.

A bowl of water sat on the ground next to the wounded Narnian. Ava quickly began to try to heal the Faun, but the water would not move as she willed it to; she could not direct it as usual. And when she tried scooping it up with her hands it slipped through her fingers. She could not contain it. Her magic wasn't working properly.

"No, Ava," Caspian said softly as he stepped up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I mean you can't heal anymore. Chérie is right. Your magic is lost."

"NO! No that's not true! I don't believe it! I still have my magic. I know I do. I can feel it!" Ava said franticly, tears streaming down her face. Caspian lifted her to her feet and pulled her to his chest.

"I'm sorry, Ava, but it's too late. Voltinus is dead."

"No, no he can't be. I know I can heal him," Ava cried.

"It's too late. There's nothing you can do for any of the Narnian's now. You are not their Princess. You are my Queen. You gave up your magic when you fell in love. You can't save any of the Narnians now."

Ava pulled away from Caspian as she heard the cries of other Narnians. All around her, Narnians were falling victim to the same green feathered arrow that had slain Voltinus. Ava's beloved Dancing Lawn was becoming a graveyard of dead or dying Narnians.

"Caspian, we're being attacked," Ava said as she turned back to face him. "You have to leave. You have to get out of here while you can. I have to stay with the Narnians. I have to try to help them. I know I still have my magic; I can't abandon them."

"And I can't abandon you." He gripped her arm painfully hard.

"Caspian, you must leave and I must stay." Ava fought to free herself but he wouldn't let go.

"No! Not without you. You are mine now!" he snarled almost cruelly. "I won't leave without you." His grip tightened causing Ava to wince in pain. Ava began to struggle harder but Caspian grabbed both of her arms and pinned them by her side.

"Caspian, what are…?" Ava's question faded away as she noticed Caspian's eyes flash green. All of a sudden she noticed distinct differences in Caspian: the coldness of his eyes, his hard features, the cruel tone with which he spoke, treating her as a possession. This wasn't her Caspian!

Recognition dawned on her and flashed across her face. The evil Caspian knew his ploy was up and he grinned wickedly. He loosened his grip but didn't let her go freely. He didn't really have to take her along with him. He'd done what he had intended to do. He made Ava confess her feelings and lose her magic. She was useless now.

"Let her go!" a voice, Caspian's voice, suddenly called out from behind Ava.

A new Caspian ran up beside her. He placed his left hand on Ava's shoulder and pulled her back while his right hand curled into a fist and came around to punch the evil Caspian. The evil Caspian stumbled backwards away from Ava, while the new Caspian was already setting his next plan of action into motion. He withdrew his sword and with a great thrust he sliced clean through the evil Caspian. The evil Caspian's body turned to a green mist and floated away on the wind. The new Caspian turned to Ava; his features were softer and showed more concern and emotion than the other Caspian ever could have. How could she have been so blind?

"Are you alright, Ava?" the new Caspian asked; even his voice was gentler.

"How do I know it's really you?" Ava asked.

"Because I love you, Ava."

Love! The other Caspian had never said he loved her; he only "needed" her. Ava ran forward and threw her arms around the real Caspian's neck and hugged him tightly as she cried. He hugged her back and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Caspian…the Narnians…they're dead. I couldn't heal them. I tried but…"

"I know, Ava. I'm sorry. But it's alright. I'm here now. You'll always have me." He pulled her face back slightly so that he could bring their lips together in a gentle kiss.

Suddenly his body tensed up and before Ava could question what was wrong, she could feel a wetness seeping through his clothes onto hers. Caspian fell to his knees before falling back onto the grass. Standing behind Caspian with a bloody sword was the slaver Pug. As Pug walked away triumphantly, Ava dropped to the ground beside Caspian and grasped his hand firmly. She could feel his life fading quickly.

"What have you done, Ava?"

Ava turned to see who had spoken and saw a lion standing beside her. She knew it had been him that had spoken, but he sounded nothing like what she remembered. Could this really be Aslan?

"You have betrayed the Narnians. You have chosen love and lost your magic. Now you shall lose everything," the lion said.

"Please, I didn't mean to. The Green Mist, it tricked me. I thought it was Caspian, but it wasn't."

"The mist only made you confess what was already true."

"Please, don't let Caspian die. Please, you can save him."

"It is true that I can save him. But why should I? You chose this fate. You abandoned the Narnians. You are not my child anymore."

Not his child? But Aslan would never forsake his children; whether they were Narnian or not, all were his children. Ava knew then that this was not the real Aslan just as the first Caspian was not the real Caspian.

"This isn't real. None of this is real," Ava said standing up and shaking her head. "I'm not in Narnia. I'm not on the Dancing Lawn. This isn't Caspian. And you're not Aslan! None of this is real!" Through tear-filled eyes, Ava watched the features of the lion turn cruel; it moved as if it were about to attack her. She cried out.

"Aslan! Aslan please free me of this spell!" Suddenly there was a great lion's roar, the roar of the real Aslan, and the bloody scene before Ava faded from view.

XOXOX

Ava sat up in bed with a start and found herself back in the cabin she shared with Lucy aboard the _Dawn Treader_.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: No handsome Kings of Narnia were really harmed in the making of this chapter :D <strong>

**Told you it was a bit weird. At least you got not one, but TWO kisses between Caspian and Ava; though, nether one was the real Caspian, but still...  
><strong>

**So, I've got a favor to ask of everyone. The other day I was hit with a new story idea and I would like to know what you all think about it. On my profile page you will find some details of this _potential_ story under the My Stories section of my bio. Please read it and take the poll at the top (if you don't mind). I would greatly appreciate any input you may have. And thanks for sticking with me. Hopefully chapter 15 will be up within a week.**


	15. Chapter 15

**The * indicates direct quotes, from the movie.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 15**

Ava sat up in bed with a start and found herself back in the cabin she shared with Lucy aboard the _Dawn Treader_. Not even a second after Ava had awoken, Lucy shot up with a cry of "Aslan!" The two girls looked at each other with wide, fearful eyes and tears threatening to escape.

"Bad dream?" Lucy half asked and half assured herself.

Ava nodded. "It felt so real. I really thought…"

"Thought what?"

Ava hesitated before shaking her head. She didn't want to give voice to her fears just now; they were far too great. "Nothing. It was just a dream. There's no need to dwell on it."

XOXOX

Several hours later, Lucy and Ava walked out onto the main deck. It was the first time in two weeks that they were able to do so without being completely soaked in seconds. Not long after leaving Coriakin's island the _Dawn Treader_ came upon a terrific hurricane. Waves washed over every side of the boat while lightning nearly kept the black sky fully illuminated at every moment. Ever crewman worked around the clock to keep the _Dawn Treader_ in shape and to rid her of any water that she had taken on; Ava had been a great asset in that area which is why, she believed, she had slept so long and had such a horrid dream.

Actually, most of the crew had nightmares while they slept that night. Lucy dreamed that she had read the Infallible Spell again and somehow created a world in which she did not exist, and subsequently Peter and Edmund did not know about Narnia. Edmund had dreamed of the White Witch re-conquering Narnia with the aid of the Green Mist. Caspian had terrible dreams of disappointing his father. And many of the crew dreamed that they never returned to Narnia or their families. It was an all around awful night for dreaming.

As Lucy and Ava looked around the main deck they spotted the kings speaking with the captain on the forecastle, and they soon joined them. They were discussing the island that had been spotted earlier that morning. From their current distance the island didn't appear to be very fertile, but they had little choice on whether or not to stop. During the storm, three casks of water had obtained holes and were dry now, and several food casks had become spoiled. The _Dawn Treader_ had to stop at the island in hopes of replenishing their supplies. It was decided that while Drinian and the crew were searching the island for supplies, the kings, Lucy and Ava would look for clues for the Lords. Within the hour, two long boats were rowing towards the rocky island.

Ava stepped onto the dry, rocky beach and frowned. She couldn't see a speck of green or plant life anywhere. She bent down and scooped up a handful of the sand and let it run through her fingers. Her frown deepened; the sand was so dry. Ava knew that the crew would have a hard time finding any sort of food.

"Caspian," Ava called out, gaining her King's attention. "I think perhaps I should go with the crew to find food. This island is very dry. The best chance of finding food will be to first find fresh water."

"Alright," Caspian nodded. "Drinian, take Ava with you and the three of us will search for clues."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Drinian replied.

*"Hang on, you mean the four of us,"* Eustace corrected Caspian. Lucy, Edmund and Caspian all gave Eustace a curious look. *"Come on, please don't send me back to the rat."*

*"I heard that,"* Reepicheep replied, though he was some distance away.

*"Big ears,"* Eustace replied under his breath while rolling his eyes.

*"I heard that too."*

Caspian, Lucy and Edmund chuckled but Eustace didn't seem to find it too funny. "Stay with Ava, Eustace. You'll be fine," Edmund replied before him, Caspian and Lucy turned to head off in one direction; Ava led the crew in another.

One aspect of Ava's magic allowed her to sense fresh water so she always knew how to find a source if she needed to. Usually she didn't have to worry about this too much since Narnia had plenty sources of fresh water. But on this island, she was thankful to have that sense and she used it as a guide over the rocky terrain. As they searched for food and followed Ava's lead, none of the crew noticed Eustace falling behind, nor did they miss him when he had disappeared for good.

At last Ava found the source of water she was looking for. It wasn't much, just a small pool and stream that led down to the sea. As she suspected, the only sign of life or food that they had come across thus far on this island, was located around this pool.

"I'm afraid this is the best we're going to find here, Captain," Ava said solemnly.

"There's no other source of water on this island?" Drinian asked.

"None with water this pure. The island is volcanic; all the other pools are too high in sulfur to be safe."

"Very well then. Men, see what food we can find around here. Princess, would you mind filling the water casks for us?"

"Not at all, Captain." A crewman placed the three repaired casks at the edge of the pool and Ava began to fill them with water while the other crewmen collected what little food they could find.

XOXOX

Meanwhile, on another part of the island, Caspian, Edmund and Lucy had found a cavern beneath the island's surface. They followed a rope down into the cavern and found a pool of water. This was not one of the pools that Ava could sense, because it was protected by its own magic. The water of this pool turned anything and everything into pure gold once the water touched the object in question, even a living person. Lord Restimar discovered that the hard way when he accidently fell in on his visit.

After discovering the identity of the golden man in the pool, Edmund searched for his sword and spotted it in the pool; he fished it out of the water using the sword of Lord Bern. Though both swords had touched the magical water, they were not turned to gold for they were protected by Aslan's magic which had been infused in them. As Edmund pulled the sword from the water, a strange longing came over him. The man that had access to a golden pool would be the richest man in the world. To test his theory further, Edmund dipped a nearby conk shell into the pool and watched, dazzled, as it turned to solid gold.

Lucy saw the strange glint of bewitchment in her brother's eyes and it worried her. She had seen that look before, when he had tasted of the White Witch's food three years ago. Lucy carefully questioned her brother on this matter as he stared at the now golden conk shell, fearful of his answer. Sure enough, Edmund responded with an equal sense of bewitchment in his voice.

*"Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do, or who to live with,"* Edmund said, breathing heavily as if he were out of breath; his cheeks were flushed.

*"You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund,"* Caspian replied.

*"Says who?"*

*"I do."* Caspian's voice turned hard and cold. Lucy cast him a wary glance and saw that he too had the same look of bewitchment in his eye. Lucy knew this couldn't end well.

Edmund gave Caspian a look of pure hatred as he grabbed his sword and turned to face the King. "You forget; I am not your subject. I am one of the Sovereign Four, and you are only King under _my_ brother the High King. You cannot order me around like you do the Narnians."

"Edmund! You know Caspian isn't like that, and this isn't like you. You're bewitched, Ed," Lucy pleaded but her words fell on deaf ears.

"You may be one of the Sovereign Four, but you are still under allegiance to the High King the same as I. You are ranked no higher," Caspian replied coolly.

"Well I should be!" Edmund shouted as he stepped forward; he was now inches from Caspian's face.

"Edmund!" Lucy pleaded as she grabbed his arm but he pushed her back.

"You are not the King Narnia deserves! The King Ava deserves! She deserves to be loved by a better King!"

"And you think you're that King?" Caspian scoffed. "You're a child! You could never be the one to win her heart! She will be my Queen."

"Caspian! I know you're stronger than this," Lucy tried pleading with him, but it was as if neither King could hear a word she was saying.

"Why would she choose a second rate King?" Edmund asked

"If you think you're so much better, then why don't you prove it?" Caspian said harshly as he shoved Edmund backwards.

Edmund didn't let the shove trip him up; he quickly swung his sword around to attack his one time friend. Caspian was prepared though and easily blocked Edmund's attack. And so their duel began. Their ringing swords echoed in the underground cavern as they circled each other. Lucy had seen them duel aboard the _Dawn Treader_, but it was nothing like this. Now they were serious; now they were out for blood. Lucy knew they would not stop until one had injured the other, and she could not wait for that to happen. At the first chance she could, she whispered a pleading prayer to Aslan and jumped in between the clanging swords.

*"Stop it! Both of you!"* Lucy yelled, holding out her arms and cringing hoping they would not strike her. Fortunately, they did not, but they remained poised to strike at any moment.

*"Look at yourselves,"* Lucy pleaded with the two boys as she looked back and forth between them. "*Can't you see what's happening? This place has tempted you; it's bewitching you.* This is exactly what Coriakin warned us against. I am glad that Ava was not here to witness you behaving in such a way."

Lucy remained standing between the two kings; her eyes darting between the two. At last, they stood straighter and lowered their swords as the bewitchment slowly faded from their eyes. Edmund looked at the golden conk shell he still held for a moment more, before tossing it into the pool. Lucy sighed in relief as Edmund returned his sword to its sheath.

"Let's get out of here," Lucy said before walking off, Caspian and Edmund quickly followed her.

XOXOX

Ava and the crew hadn't been loading the boats for long before Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy returned; Drinian was the first to notice their approach. "Did you find an sign of the Lords, Your Majesties?"

"Yes, they stopped here. We found the…remains of Lord Restimar," Caspian replied. *"What food did you find?"* He frowned when he looked down at the baskets and saw that they weren't even half full.

*"It's volcanic, Your Majesty. Not much grows,"* Rhince responded.

"We'll have to try fishing when we get back out to sea," Ava said despondently. She was not at all thrilled with the idea of using her magic to catch defenseless fish, but she had to put the Narnians first.

"Where's Eustace?" Lucy asked suddenly.

"I thought he went with you."

"No, I told him to stay with you," Edmund said.

Ava's face paled. "Drinian, please tell me you know where Eustace is."

"I'm afraid I haven't seen him," Drinian replied.

Ava felt like the wind had been knocked from her chest. She couldn't breathe. Her vision blurred with tears she fought to contain. How could she have let this happened? She was supposed to be responsible for Eustace, and she lost him!

"Ava!" A pair of hands gently grabbed Ava's arm to gain her attention. She turned her head and saw Edmund speaking to her.

"Ava, it's not your fault. This is just the sort of thing Eustace would do," Edmund tried assuring her, but Ava could hardly hear him for the ringing in her ears.

"We have to find him, Ed," Lucy said.

"I'll go look for him; you go back to the ship, Lu."

"We shouldn't split up," Caspian said. "I'll go with you."

Edmund nodded somewhat hesitantly, and Lucy eyed the boys cautiously. She hadn't forgotten what transpired between them only minutes ago. Caspian handed over Lord Restimar's sword to Drinian before he and Edmund started looking for Eustace; the crew continued to load the boats. Meanwhile, Ava still stood frozen. She couldn't believe she had lost her best friend's cousin.

"Wait!" she called after Edmund and Caspian. "I want to go too."

"Ava, you don't have to come," Edmund replied.

"I want to, Edmund. Eustace was my responsibility and I shouldn't have let him out of my sight. I'm sorry."

"Ava, I told you, this isn't your fault."

"There's no use in arguing with her, Edmund. I know that look well: fierce determination," Caspian pointed out. "Besides, it won't hurt to have her with us since she has formed a sort of friendship with your cousin."

Edmund relented with a nod.

XOXOX

"Eustace!"

"Eustace!"

Edmund, Caspian, and Ava took turns calling out for the lost Eustace. They had been searching the island for close to an hour but there had been no sign of him yet. There was still a slight bit of tension between Caspian and Edmund even though they both knew that neither meant what they had said in the cavern. Edmund in particular was perturbed by what he had said. He hadn't meant to bring up Caspian's obvious attraction for Ava, he figured if Caspian wanted him to know he would tell him, but something just came over him and he couldn't stop the words from spilling out of his mouth.

"What's that?" Ava asked curiously. There was a sort of glowing gold light coming from around the corner ahead. As they rounded the bend the source of the glow came into view. Thousands of gold pieces and various jewels sat in a deep trench, the sun reflecting off of each piece created the golden glow.

*"Treasure,"* Edmund whispered.

*"Trouble,"* Caspian replied. Ava did not notice the cautious look the boys shared with each other for she was too busy gazing into the trench.

"You're right," Edmund sighed. "But that's just the sort of place Eustace would have gone into. We have to check it out."

Edmund and Caspian carefully climbed down the steep incline, aiding Ava down between them. The trench weaved through the rocky mountain creating many crevices and tunnels in which things could hide. Every inch of the trench was lined with piles of treasure. There were silver medallions, gold coins, golden platters, silver goblets, chest plates, and jeweled crowns among many other valuable treasures. The sides of the trench rose above them and steadily increased in height so that the back of the trench was clouded in shadow.

"We should be careful. This is the sort of place dragons like to dwell," Caspian warned.

"I suppose he found that out the hard way," Edmund said pointing across the way. Ava shrieked and jumped in fright when she saw what Edmund was pointing to: a skeleton.

Caspian carefully approached the old skeleton and examined it closely. "This man was Lord Octesian; I can tell by his signet ring. We need to find his…"

"Sword," Edmund finished as he pulled a sword out from under a pile of rubies and gold. Ava was looking around another pile a few feet away when she suddenly gasped and dropped to her knees.

"Ava, what is it?" Edmund was closer to Ava so he reached her first. "Oh, no." He dropped to his knees beside Ava just as she erupted in sobs.

"Eustace…" Edmund murmured as he shuffled through a pile of burnt clothes that once belonged to his cousin. *"I never should have left him."*

"I'm…so…sorry…" Ava said between sobs. When Edmund did not immediately respond, she sobbed even harder mistaking his silence for anger.

"It's not your fault, Ava," Caspian said.

Edmund had every intention on speaking up and comforting Ava, but at the moment he was at a loss of words. And when he did find the right thing to say, there came such a roaring cry from the back of the trench that it interrupted every thought process.

"We need to get out of here, now!" Caspian said firmly.

Edmund rose instantly, knowing as well as Caspian what must have caused the noise. When Ava did not move on her own both Kings had to heave her to her feet and pull her back towards the front of the trench. Getting out of the trench proved harder than they thought, especially since Ava was so distraught over Eustace's fate and could hardly walk on her own, but eventually they did make it out and they began hiking back to the shore as quickly as possible. Caspian took the lead as they walked and Ava dragged behind in the rear with her face buried in her hands. Edmund remained close to her as he tried to console her and encourage her to move faster.

They weren't far from the long boat left for them when Caspian suddenly heard a strange flapping sound. He looked around for the source of the noise and saw a great red dragon flying towards them. The dragon held its giant paws out before him like he was preparing to grab something and that's when Caspian realized a most dreadful thing. The dragon was heading right for Ava! Caspian knew he could never get to her in time.

"Edmund!" he shouted.

Edmund heard the fear in Caspian's cry and turned around to see what could have caused it. He saw the dragon lowering, preparing to capture Ava, and he knew instantly what Caspian was thinking. Ava, on the other hand, was absorbed in her sorrows and did not hear Caspian's cry. She was hardly aware of her surroundings at all until she felt a great push on her arm and she fell to the ground; she barely managed to remove her hands from her face in time to catch herself before slamming into the rocks.

Ava looked up to see Edmund standing in the spot she previously occupied. Edmund had run to her side and pushed her out of the way just before the dragon could take her. The dragon did not miss entirely though, for its talons had found a new target: Edmund. The dragon did not seem to care that it had captured the boy and not the girl as it carried Edmund off over the mountain.

* * *

><p><strong>As promised, there's chapter 15 posted by Wednesday. Wish I could say when the next chapter is going to be posted, but I can't. I am going out of town on Thursday and won't be back until Sunday evening. My computer will not be coming with me, but I will have paper and pen and I know I will be sitting out by a pool. Keep your fingers crossed that I get a lot of writing done!<strong>

**Oh, and a million thanks to everyone for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi! Remember me? SweetSunnyRose...I'm kinda writing this little story about a Naiad and a handsome Narnian King...Wow, it feels like it's been so long since I've updated. I really hope no one has forgotten about me. It took longer than I hoped it would (I've kind of had a small problem with the dreaded writer's block, yuck!) but chapter 16 is here at last. Just in case anybody needs it, here is a little recap of what happened last.**

**13) Ava receives a warning from Coriakin that her feelings for Caspian are making her magic weaker.**

**14) Ava has a terrible dream in which she confessed her love for Caspian and lost her magic, then all the Narnians became injured and she could not heal them. Dream Caspian died.**

**15) The _Dawn Treader_ reached a volcanic island. Edmund and Caspian, while enchanted, fought over Ava's heart. Eustace disappeared. Ava, Edmund, and Caspian found Eustace's burnt clothing. Ava blames herself for not keeping an eye on Eustace. On the walk back to the Dawn Treader, a dragon nearly takes Ava away. Edmund saves her, but is taken instead. (Oh yeah, and they found the remains of 2 more lords.)**

**That brings us to here... Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 16**

Caspian rushed to Ava to help her up, but she leapt to her feet and hurried after Edmund leaving Caspian to follow behind. Ava followed the dragon and Edmund around the corner, but it didn't take long for the dragon to lose Ava as it flew over a small peak. She ran around the next corner and the next but it was too late; there was no sign of Edmund or the dragon.

"No! Edmund!" she called out before dropping to her knees and crying hysterically, once more burying her face in her hands.

"Ava," Caspian laid his hand on her shoulder as he knelt before her.

"He's gone… I've failed…" Ava wept.

"Ava, come on. We need to find, Edmund."

"It's too late."

"Wh—what do you mean it's too late? Can you sense…" Caspian's face paled at the thought of his friend being…he couldn't even give voice to the possibility in his head.

"Ava, is Edmund already…?"

"No… I don't know. If he's not then he might as well be. It's too late to help him. It's gone. There's nothing I can do."

"Ava, what are you talking about?"

"I'm going to lose everything."

Caspian had enough of Ava's senseless rambling so he lifted her by the elbows and removed her hands from her face. She had no choice but to look at him.

"Ava, what are you going on about? What's lost?"

"My magic, Caspian. It's gone…or it's almost gone. It's what Coriakin warned me against. It's been growing weaker every day. Even if somehow we got to Edmund, I wouldn't be strong enough to heal him. I'm going to lose everything, just as I did in my dream."

"Weaker? Why is it growing weaker?"

"Because I l…" she stopped herself just in time. She had been going to say, _"Because I love you."_ It's what she thought, what she knew to be true in her heart, but she dare not give voice to this feeling for fear of what would happen.

Caspian didn't need to hear the full sentence to know what she was going to say. It was something he already knew; something he felt too. He cupped her face in his hands and moved in closer to speak gently to her.

"Ava, listen to me, Edmund will get through this. He's not like Eustace; he will fight."

"Against a dragon?"

"Yes, against a dragon. Aslan is on his side. I promise you, he will make it out."

"Caspian, you can't prom…"

"I promise you, Ava!" Caspian said a litter stronger. Ava knew he would not allow her to argue, so she didn't. "Now, do you still have your sword?" She nodded. "Good, then we will find Edmund together and get out of here."

Caspian reached down to grab her hands and give them a gentle squeeze. She squeezed back before he let go of one hand to draw his sword. Still holding on to the other hand though, Caspian began to lead the search for Edmund.

XOXOX

_"Unbelievable,"_ Edmund thought as he walked along the mountain path. How could something like this happen? Well, he knew _how_ it happened. He remembered tales from when he and his siblings ruled at Cair Paravel, but he had never known anyone who had personal experience with something such as this. Now, _he_ was that someone. _"What an unfortunate change of events,"_ he thought.

"Ed!" Caspian called joyously as Edmund rounded a corner. "See, Ava, I…"

"Edmund!" Ava interrupted with a gasp. She dropped Caspian's hand and ran forward to embrace her friend, but halfway she stopped abruptly as something else rounded the corner. It was the dragon.

"Look out! Ava, get back!" Caspian yelled as he ran toward the dragon with his sword poised to attack.

"No! Caspian stop!" Edmund jumped between the dragon and Caspian and held his arms out.

"What are you doing, Ed?"

"It's not what you think. This dragon won't hurt us; it wasn't trying to hurt us before. It just needed to show us something. The dragon didn't kill Eustace, it is Eustace!"

"What?"

"Eustace was turned into a dragon."

Caspian lowered his sword while Ava stepped closer to Edmund and the dragon. "Oh, Eustace," she said sadly as she held her hand out to him. "I'm so sorry."

Eustace the dragon nuzzled Ava's hand with its giant nose as if to say, _"It's not your fault."_

"Edmund! Ava! Caspian!" Lucy shouted from afar.

"Lucy," Edmund said, looking in the direction of the shore. "How will she take this news?"

"I think she'll take it better than the alternative," Caspian said.

XOXOX

Lucy had been nearly frantic with worry ever since she saw her brother being carried away by the dragon. She was even about to demand that the Captain to take her to shore at once, but she saw him already preparing the long boat. Within in mere minutes, Lucy and Drinian were on their way back to the desolate island; Kobar, Reepicheep, and Rhince went along as well.

Edmund and Lucy reunited at the shore with a tight hug. Lucy was glad to see Ava and Caspian as well. She was going to ask how they had escaped when the dragon walked around the corner. Drinian and the unsuspected crew had the same initial reaction as Ava and Caspian, but just as he had been with them, Edmund was quick to explain things.

"How did this happen?" Lucy asked.

*"He must have been tempted by the treasure,"* Edmund replied.

*"Anyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted,"* Caspian said.

"Caspian," Ava whispered pointedly.

*"Well, anyone from here."*

Eustace grunted lowly and rubbed his front right leg over the ground bringing attention to a gold band. Lucy stepped forward and with a swift tug, pulled the band from his leg. He roared in pain and shook his leg out once it was free.

"Can he be changed back?" Rhince asked, casting his eyes to Ava. She knew what he was hinting at.

Caspian knew what Ava was about to do when she stepped forward. "Ava, I don't think that's possible," he tried warning her against it, but she wouldn't hear it.

"Caspian, I have to try," she whispered back.

Ava used the fresh water from the pouch on her hip and formed it into a ball. She could feel her magic pulsating inside her as the sphere of water grew and engulfed Eustace. Ava tried with all she had, sending pulse after pulse of magic through the dragon. Those standing around witnessed something truly unique as Ava morphed into her Naiad form. Her body became as clear as water, starting with her hands and spreading down her arms all the way to her ankles. Only her feet remained unchanged as she stood on them. But it was all in vain. Eustace remained a dragon.

Ava gasped as if she had been holding her breath and released her magic, her body instantly resuming its solid form. She stumbled slightly but Edmund caught her before she could fall.

"It's no use. I can't do it. I'm sorry, Eustace," Ava panted.

"Perhaps his isn't a condition which can be healed by your magic," Caspian tried assuring Ava. He knew what she was thinking, and he felt her despair when she looked upon him and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"So now what do we do? *We can't leave him alone,*" Lucy said.

*"Well we can't bring him on board, Your Majesty,"* Drinian said logically.

"Drinian, you and the men return to the _Dawn Treader_. We'll spend the night on shore and work out what to do in the morning."

"But how will you stay warm?" Rhince asked. Though everyone tried to think of a way in which they could stay warm through the night, it was Eustace who thought of the solution. He let out a quick burst of fire breath and set a piece of driftwood aflame.

*"You were saying?"* Reepicheep asked with a laugh.

XOXOX

That night Edmund and Caspian sat around a small campfire gazing up at the starlit sky. Ava and Lucy were a few feet away, already sleeping soundly. Eustace was the furthest from the fire, but Reepicheep stayed close to his side; just as Ava did, the noble mouse felt a bit of responsibility for the young boy turned dragon.

The sky was striped in dark teal, midnight blue, and black. The moon was full but partially hidden by a fluffy cloud. The stars were as numerous as seeds on a strawberry, and they weaved intricate patterns that the crew had never seen before. A part from the crackling of the fire, the steady breathing of the girls, and Edmund and Caspian whispering quietly between themselves the island was silent.

*"I've never seen these constellations before,"* Edmund whispered quietly.

*"Me neither,"* Caspian replied.

"We must be a long way from Narnia."

"Well, we're nearly two and a half months sailing from Cair Paravel. You've been with the crew for half of that."

"Really? Is that all? These last few weeks have felt like months on their own."

"I know what you mean."

They gazed quietly at the sky for a minute or two before continuing their conversation.

"Astronomy used to be Lucy's favorite past time when we reigned. She would often stay up late to see the constellations emerge. Sometimes she would even wake up in the middle of the night to see them. Peter and Susan used to get so angry with her for doing it, but I never saw the harm. Occasionally I would stay up to watch them with her."

"Astronomy was my favorite subject as well," Caspian remarked. "Dr. Cornelius would come for me in the middle of the night a few times a week, and we would go to one of the private towers. Of course, I think I enjoyed those times more because that was when he would tell me the old tales."

"I remember this one time," Caspian continued. "It wasn't long after we started studying astronomy so I was still quite young, I asked him if everyone could see these same stars or if they were distinct only to Narnia. He said he wasn't sure, but he suspected that the further east one went then the more the night sky would change and by the time they reached Aslan's Country at the end of the world, the sky would look entirely different. That was the first I'd ever heard of Aslan's Country."

"I wonder if we're close then, because this sky seems entirely different already." Edmund paused. "Do you think after we've found all seven lords and defeated the Green Mist that you'll continue to sail eastward towards Aslan's Country?"

"That all depends. We've seen how testy the crew have already become. But I'd like to continue onward, yes. I used to imagine doing such a thing and finding my mother and father there, standing with Aslan."

"Well, maybe you will."

Caspian sighed. "I don't even know if my parents made it into Aslan's Country. Dr. Cornelius told me that if we live by Aslan's guide then when we die we will live again in Aslan's Country. But who's to say that my parents did that?"

"From what I gathered the last time we were here, your father wasn't like the other Telmarine Kings. So, perhaps he is in Aslan's Country."

"Ava has said something very similar," Caspian said with a faint smile. Edmund suddenly felt a wave of uncomfortable awkwardness and guilt wash over him as he remembered the cavern.

"I'm sorry about earlier; I didn't mean anything I said in the cavern," Edmund apologized.

"Nor did I; I'm sorry too."

"And I want you to know, I don't really think of Ava like that…not any more, at least."

"Any more?"

"I admit that when we were here last I might have fancied her a bit. She was only about two years older than me then, and she was unlike any girl I've ever met. Not many serving maidens would run through a castle trying to escape while it's being attacked, nor would they stand up to an armed solider twice her size and come out alive. And when she was free, she never hesitated to serve, even if we told her she didn't have to."

"She hasn't changed that much. When we were fighting the giants she insisted that she stay near the campsite so that she could tend to the wounded. She would spend all day inside the wounded tent doing anything she could to make the soldiers feel comfortable. And she is still just as stubborn. When we came across the pirates she insisted on helping out. I tried to stop her by locking her in the cabin."

"You locked her in?" Edmund asked incredulously. "How long was she in there before she escaped?"

Caspian chuckled. "Only a few minutes. She jumped off the balcony."

"You didn't really think that one through, did you?"

"Give me a break. I was a little distracted with trying to keep her safe. So…when did you figure out that I had feelings for her?"

"Honestly? I don't think I really did until just now," Edmund chuckled lightly. "I knew you cared for her a great deal, but you actually…"

"Love her? I do. I love her more than I ever thought it possible to love someone."

"Good, because she deserves it. I know she will make an excellent queen; I am sure you two will be happy together."

Caspian's smile faltered. "That's the thing, Ed. There is no 'together' with us. She has chosen not to 'abandon the Narnians' as she calls it."

"Abandon the Narnians? Why does she think she would be abandoning them by marrying you?"

"She can't be with a man and retain her magic. She would have to give up her role as the Naiad Princess."

"That is true, but I still don't see how she would be abandoning them. She may cease to be their Princess, but she would become their Queen. I could not think of a greater quality for a Queen to have than to be willing to sacrifice herself for the betterment of her people."

"I wish she would view it in that light." Caspian sighed heavily. "But if I have learned anything from this trip, it would be that it is nearly impossible to change her mind once she has made it. And she has made it clear to me that she has chosen to keep her magic. My feelings for her only complicate the matter, and they have already begun to weaken her. If she truly wishes to remain the Naiad Princess, then I believe it is time that I stop dreaming of a life with her as my Queen."

Edmund was speechless; he didn't know what to say, or if there was even anything he could say. He could see that his friend, one he'd come to view as a brother, was hurting but he didn't know how to respond. Peter had never been in a situation like this before; he had always focused more on ruling a kingdom than finding a wife.

With a simple whispered good night, the two kings settled in for some sleep. Little did they know, but from where she lay on a blanket she shared with Lucy, Ava had heard every confession.

* * *

><p><strong>:( Poor Caspian. <strong>

**I apologize if this chapter seems like slop (it does to me at times). Writer's block can be a very pesky thing that interrupts the thought process. Do you know what the cure is? Positive feedback and encouragement! So, I'm counting on you to help jump start the updates again. Also, if you see anything that is really, really wrong with this chapter, please let me know and I'll find a way to correct/improve it.**

**So, during my stint of writer's block, I pretty much decided that I'm going to write _Finding Home_ and I even wrote out the first chapter! (Hey, I had to keep the creativity flowing for fear that I'd lose it entirely.) I don't plan on posting it until after the trilogy is finished, but I may write on it here and there when Ava and Caspian are being stubborn (you know how they are). But...if you are interested in a super special sneak peak just ask nicely and I'll PM ya a few lines. :D Also, it's not too late to cast your vote for who the lead male should be if you haven't already (it's been narrowed to Caspian, Rilian, and Edmund).**


	17. Chapter 17

**Since I get to go see the final Harry Potter tonight, I thought I'd let you read the next chapter today! :D  
><strong>

**The * indicates direct quotes from the movie. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 17**

The next morning, they all awoke to a glorious sight: the Blue Star. The long boat was quickly loaded and returned to the _Dawn Treader_ which soon after unfurled its purple sail and caught wind. Eustace flew along beside the ship with Reepicheep riding on his head. The mood on board started out as jubilant but by late afternoon it had turned solemn once more.

The crew all thought that with the sighting of the star they would be within sight of Ramandu's Island within a few hours, but that was not the case. As evening fell the only land they saw was a small stretch of sand on which Eustace could rest; the _Dawn Treader_ set anchor not far from the shore. In the morning Eustace took flight and the _Dawn Treader_ took sail once more. The second day was much like the first.

Early on the third morning, only about an hour after sailing from the second small patch of land, the wind left. The sea was completely still. The crew rowed for several hours, but they were all in bitter moods and without much food. Some of the crew complained loudly and remarked that they would eat the dragon if they didn't find land soon; they hadn't forgotten nor forgiven Eustace for the sour mood he seemed to always be in.

Eustace did not like to hear their complaints and for the first time he knew what it must have been like for others when he complained. He was also a bit fearful that some of the men might really try to eat him, so he wrapped his tail around the prow of the ship and began to pull it forward with all his might. The _Dawn Treader_ now moved as quickly as it would if it had a great western gale behind it.

For the entirety of all the three days that they had been sailing from Dragon Island, Caspian kept his distance from Ava. He did so not out of anger or ill feelings, but because he thought it was best. He thought that perhaps if he could distance himself from Ava he might begin to love her less and she might begin to love him less, or at least she could find a way to retain her magic. He knew this would not be an easy task, it might even be harder than finding the lords and rescuing the lost citizens, but he had to try. What he wanted more than anything was her happiness, even if that happiness came without him.

Ava knew what Caspian was trying to do, and after over hearing his confession to Edmund she knew why. Without him needing to explain a word, she understood. She was appreciative of his thoughtful actions, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Knowing what lengths he would go to for her happiness only served to make her love him even more.

Before the crew, Ava and Caspian would hide their emotions and insist all was well. But for their greatest friends, it was impossible not to notice the change.

XOXOX

"Has something happened between Ava and Caspian?" Lucy asked Edmund quietly. She had finally managed to get him alone long enough to ask him something in which she was immensely curious.

"I thought you figured out what was going on between them weeks ago?" he responded just as quietly.

"Well, I knew she loved him…"

"Wait, she loves him?"

"Yes, of course, Ed. And I knew he liked her."

"He doesn't just like her, he loves her."

"Oh, really? How marvelous."

"Not really. She's chosen to keep her Naiad magic and I don't think Caspian is going to just stand around. I think he believes he can make himself not love her."

"Well, doesn't he know that's a ridiculous notion? You can't make yourself not love someone just as you can't make yourself love them. It's just a natural thing. He's mad! Ava too! Doesn't she know that the Narnians will love her just the same if she was their Queen? I know they want her to be happy."

"I guess not, Lu," Edmund said with a sigh.

"Oh! I just wish they'd put this ridiculousness aside and get together already. Is every relationship this complicated, Ed?"

"Why are you asking me? What do I know of relationships?"

"Well, you have Valerie."

"What? I do not! Valerie and I are just friends."

"Who's Valerie?"

"Caspian!" Lucy jumped as the Narnian King came up behind her.

"Are you alright, Lucy?" Caspian asked with a laugh, amused at her surprise. "I just came to see what you were talking about. It must be interesting if you had to talk about it so closely together."

"What? Us? We weren't talking about anything. Were we, Ed?" Lucy said hurriedly.

Edmund opened his mouth as if he were about to respond, but as Caspian laughed he knew it was pointless. Lucy was a terrible liar; she always has been, and Caspian saw right through her fib. She turned her big eyes to Edmund, silently pleading with him to cover for her. Edmund chuckled and shook his head.

"Give it up, Lu. Caspian knows you're hiding something, but don't worry; I'll keep your secret."

Lucy's cheeks tinted red and she walked off.

"Are you really not going to tell me?" Caspian asked when they were alone.

"Sorry," Edmund replied.

"It's no matter," he sighed contently.

"What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I'm not sure; I just woke up like this. I have a feeling that something spectacular is going to happen today."

"Well, I hope this spectacular thing includes finding Ramandu's Island. I don't know how much longer Eustace can keep pulling the ship."

Meanwhile, Ava and Reepicheep were up on the fighting top. Ava's location on the fighting top served multiple purposes. She was serving as the lookout. She was out of Caspian's way, making it easier for him to avoid her. And she had some time alone to think her feelings through.

She knew why Caspian was keeping his distance; she knew it was only because he was trying to help, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. She was just confused as to why it hurt so much. Wasn't this what she had chosen? To keep the magic and forsake love? And she couldn't really expect Caspian to just stand by everyday for the rest of his life, stuck on loving someone who refused to love him back. She wanted him to be happy right?

Ava certainly didn't want him to be miserable for the rest of his life. And she knew, at some point, for the safety of Narnia, Caspian would need to produce and heir. To produce and heir he would first need a Queen. Ava had never once thought of being that Queen, but the idea that someone else might become his Queen, bothered her to no end. Surely if he was happy that would be enough, right?

Reepicheep had followed Ava up to the fighting top to keep her company. He had seen the saddened look she bore; he thought perhaps it was caused by the toll of their voyage, and he wanted to lighten her spirits a bit. No nymph should ever be sad. But what he discovered when she unexpectedly confided in him was not something in which he was very familiar with, but he tried to give his best advice nonetheless.

"Thank you, Reepicheep. You have indeed given me something to think about," Ava replied earnestly.

"Oh, well you are quite welcome, Princess. It was my pleasure to assist you. And I do hope you sort things out soon." Reepicheep smiled and bowed before turning to look back out to the east. "What's that there?"

Ava peered through the telescope. "At last," she sighed. "Land ho!"

XOXOX

It took most of the remaining sunlight to reach the island that Reepicheep and Ava had spotted; it would have taken longer if Eustace had not been pulling them. As they approached, the island became more magnificent than anything they had seen yet. It was another mountainous island, but there were trees and rivers aplenty. The waterfalls were almost too numerous to count, and the light from the sinking sun gave the island an ethereal glow. There was no port that could be seen and so the _Dawn Treader_ had to settle for a broad shallow bay. Even though the sun had already begun to set the crewmen were all too anxious to wait to till morning, and since the Blue Star sat directly above, Caspian felt sure that they had reached Ramandu's Island at last.

Only about three crew members stayed back to guard the ship, the rest filed into the long boats and headed to shore. Edmund led the way over the island with his electric torch; Caspian and the girls were close behind with Drinian and Tavros behind them. Eustace remained on the shore. Night quickly came and a strange ominous feeling fell over everyone in the party, everyone except for Caspian who still retained some of his giddiness; though, he hid it well.

They hardly knew where they were going, but Edmund followed the glow of the star. They passed over stone bridges that were lined with trees and stone gargoyles and crossed over waterfalls. At the end of their trek they passed under some arched tree roots that led into an open stone platform. In the center there sat a long banquet table which held a feast unlike any other. There were bowls of every fruit imaginable and tenderly cooked meats. There were glasses full of the finest made wines and lavish cakes. There were candles placed strategically over the table, but none were lit. Many of the crew became excited at the sight of the feast, but the ever logical Drinian halted them from eating anything just yet.

As they looked over the feast on the table, Caspian and Lucy walked down one side while Edmund and Ava took the other side. Suddenly, Ava gasped and jumped back. At the end of the table there were three stationary figures. They looked almost man-like, but a great bramble had grown up around them nearly covering them completely and intermingling with their long grey hair that one could hardly tell where one figure ended and the next began.

"What is that?" Lucy asked. "Are they trees, or men?"

"Look at their faces; they're men," Edmund pointed out as he shined the light of his torch on them.

"It can't be," Ava whispered as she leaned in for a closer inspection. "They're not just men. Caspian, look at their rings; they're Lords."

Caspian too leaned in for a closer inspection and studied the three signet rings. "These are the Lords Revilian, Mavramorn, and Argoz." As he was leaning over the table to inspect the rings, he felt the warm breath of one of the lords on the back of his neck. "They're breathing; they must be only sleeping."

"An enchanted sleep," Edmund clarified.

"No! Don't eat the food!" Ava shouted in warning just as Tavros was about to take a bite of an apple; he dropped it immediately. "No one touch the food until we know for certain that it was not the cause of this enchantment."

"The Princess is right," Caspian declared. "We shouldn't eat of the food. I know you're hungry; we're all hungry, but we mustn't risk it."

Ava cast her eyes to the ground and sighed inwardly. She had noticed Caspian stumble slightly over the formal use of her title as opposed to the casual use of her name he was so use to.

"Look! It's the stone knife." Edmund pointed to the table. *"This is Aslan's table."*

"Quick, the swords, lay them on the table," Caspian said before pulling out the Lord Octesian's sword he carried at his side. Edmund pulled Lord Bern's sword out and laid it on the table while Ava fetched the sword of Lord Argoz.

"We only have six swords; we never found Lord Rhoop," Ava said as she lay down the sixth sword.

It didn't matter that they only had six swords though, for once they were all together they began to glow blue. Or rather, the light of the Blue Star reflected off the blades as the star steadily descended to the island. The star passed right through an opening in the trees and stopped about five feet from the ground at the far end of the table. Everyone stood in awe and wonder as the light of the star danced brightly and molded into the form of a perfect young girl around Ava's age. She wore a simple dress that was clear blue and left her arms bare. Her skin was fair, and her hair was so light it was almost white. All around her swirled the blue light of the star.

"*Travelers of Narnia,* I bid you welcome," said the girl. She spoke warmly, kindly, and her voice seemed to ring as with the sweetest song. At once, the crew dropped to their knees; they knew they were in the presence of a great Lady.

*"Arise,"* she said after a pause. "You who have traveled so far, why have you not eaten? *Are you not hungry?*"

*"Who are you?"* Edmund asked with a tone of wonder, forgetting about her simple question.

*"I'm Liliandil, daughter of Ramandu. I am you guide,"* she answered with a gentle smile. As she slowly walked forward, so too did Caspian, Edmund, Lucy and Ava walk forward.

"You're the Blue Star?" Caspian asked in a worshipful tone. Ava's eyes quickly flashed to him in surprise; she had never heard him speak in such a tone. A strange stirring began to form in her stomach, and for a moment she almost thought the feeling was similar to the one she had on Glama almost two months ago, but then it was gone as she pushed it aside.

Ava did not notice the small nod of Liliandil's head, nor did she notice the smile she gave Caspian. She heard clearly, however, Caspian's next words.

*"You are most beautiful."*


	18. Chapter 18

**Before we start, I just want to say that I think it's extremely funny how there was more of an outcry over the cliffi in the last chapter than there was for the cliffi at the end of chapter 8, when we didn't know the state of Ava's health. That just makes me chuckle...hehehe**

**I have already started typing up the final chapter for this part! Yay and a little sniffle. There will be 21 chapters just so you know, and chapter 19 will be a doozy! It's over 4,200 words! WOW! Chapter 20 is pretty large too, so be prepared.  
><strong>

**The * indicate direct quotes from the movie, while the ^ indicates direct quotes from the book. Hope you all enjoy! And thanks so much for all the reviews and stuff; I've broken 100 reviews for this story! That's totally awesome! I love you all!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 18**

*"You are most beautiful,"* Caspian said, barely above a whisper.

Ava felt her heart sink to her toes. _"Beautiful?"_ she thought. Ava remembered clearly what Caspian really meant when he said beautiful. _"For you see, what truly makes a lady beautiful in my eyes is not only her looks, but her character also….My Queen will not only be fair to look at, she will be the full embodiment of beautiful."_ Caspian had only ever called her beautiful; even the great Queen Susan he only considered fair-faced. _"You're beautiful, Ava, truly beautiful, in every sense of the word."_ He had told her that in the Duke's estate on Doorn after their kiss. Now he found Liliandil _**most**_ beautiful?

Ava studied Caspian's face carefully. Could he really mean what he said, or was he under some enchantment? Some power of the star?

No. He wasn't.

Ava knew Caspian well, and she knew he was being completely earnest in his feelings. What's more, he was completely enraptured with the star. She had seen that look on his face before; it was when he told her she was beautiful. And now he was saying it to the star. Suddenly Ava felt a dangerous fire flare up inside her, and she fought desperately to keep it at bay.

"Ava?" Lucy whispered her friend's name quietly, but Caspian still heard and he tore his eyes away from the star briefly to look back at Ava. "Are you alright?" Lucy asked.

Ava's eyes met Caspian's for only a second before she harshly looked away. "I'm fine." Ava's eyes met the star's and she couldn't help but to feel remorse for her hateful thoughts of the girl. "Please, forgive us for not eating, but we feared the food might be enchanted and that it sent our friends to their sleep."

"^They have never tasted it,^ young Naiad," Liliandil responded kindly.

"Then what happened to them?" Lucy asked.

"The poor men were half mad and almost fully starved when they arrived here seven years ago. They quarreled over what they should do next and they threatened violence upon each other. One took up the stone knife and meant to fight with it, ^but it is a thing not right for him to touch. And as his fingers closed upon the hilt, deep sleep fell upon all the three.^ Please, eat. *The food is for you. There is enough for all who are welcome at Aslan's table.*" Liliandil raised her hands and the candles were lit.

"And what about these, Lords?" Lucy asked. *"Will they ever wake?"*

*"When all is put right. Come, there is little time."* With that, Liliandil turned and began to walk away. Caspian was quick to follow, still entranced by the girl; Edmund and Lucy followed soon after, while Ava came last. Drinian and the crew stayed behind to enjoy the feast prepared for them.

XOXOX

"There it is. Dark Island," Drinian said solemnly from behind the wheel. After eating a full meal and a good night's sleep, or at least the attempt of one, the _Dawn Treader_ and her crew had set out for Dark Island; it was just a short sail from the island of Ramandu. Liliandil had shown them the island the night before and confirmed what they must do to break the spell. They had to find the final lord and his sword, and he was somewhere inside Dark Island.

"Who do suppose is behind it?" Lucy asked.

Ava shook her head. "We may never know. Remember what Coriakin said. It has the ability to take on any form, and it can give life to our darkest fears."

"Then we must not think of them," Caspian said as he stepped up beside Ava and placed a hand on her shoulder. He knew what fear she had been thinking of. "We must be strong. Today, we do not face a single enemy, but we face the very essence of fear." He looked over to Edmund, *"Let's get ready."*

At his touch Ava felt a swarm of warm confidence flood her, but as soon as his hand left she was left feeling cold once more. Ava had been one of those who attempted sleep last night, but it seemed to elude her. As a result Ava had plenty of time to think about Caspian and Liliandil. The attraction between the two could not be denied; he had hardly left her side all night.

Ava was still not overjoyed with Caspian choosing another Queen, but what choice did she have when she refused to believe the other option was even possible. To put it simply, Ava was confused. She knew she loved Caspian and she was certain that she would never feel this way about anyone else, but could she really part with her magic? One thing Ava had decided on during the night, was that if being with Liliandil made Caspian happy then she would have to accept their love.

"Princess, Ava," Rynelf gently interrupted Ava's thoughts. "His Majesty would like to see you in the State Room."

"Thank you, Rynelf," Ava replied softly with a nod of her head.

Ava quickly and quietly made her way to the State Room; she had been meaning to pull her hair back in case there was a fight anyways. She knocked softly on the second set of doors and it was promptly answered by Edmund. With a small, encouraging smile, Edmund traded places with Ava as he left the room and she entered.

"You asked to see me?" Ava said.

"Yes, I wanted to see...I just... I wanted to apologize," Caspian stumbled over his words; he didn't know exactly what he was going to say he just knew it needed to be said. "I know I've been distant these last few days and I wanted you to know that it wasn't because...it's not..."

"I know, Caspian. I know why...I sort of heard a bit of what you and Edmund were talking about on Dragon Island. I didn't hear everything, just enough."

"Oh. You heard. So then you know...?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Is it working?"

"Ah... _no_," she thought. Ava couldn't tell him that so she nodded her head silently.

Caspian smiled feebly. "You not a good liar, Ava."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize for that; it's one of the many things that I lo...it's one of the things that make you, you."

There was a slight moment of semi-awkward silence between them. Ava knew what Caspian had been about to say. She'd almost forgotten how easy it was to slip back into their casual banter and she wished it didn't have to end. But she knew it would, eventually, or else they would never move on.

But wait! What if they didn't have to move on? What if Caspian had called her back here to do more than just apologize? What if Caspian didn't want to choose Liliandil over her? There was only one way to find out. If Ava was wrong, then the truth would hurt, but she had to try. She turned her face away from Caspian so she would not have to see his reaction in case it was what she feared.

"Liliandil was quite pretty wasn't she? Exquisite...perhaps even beautiful?"

"She was beautiful," Caspian responded dreamily and without hesitation. "She was..." he paused as he realized Ava's implications. "She was beautiful, yes."

Ava felt her heart plummet all over again and a flurry of ravenous jealousy consumed her. She was glad that her back was to Caspian for he could not see her face either as her eyes swelled with tears. She cast her gaze to the golden image of the Great Lion and felt his strength renew hers. Ava bit back her tears and spoke evenly.

"She would make an excellent Queen."

"I am certain she would."

Ava nodded weakly before turning around and offering even a weaker smile.

"Ava," Caspian reached out for her.

"Don't worry about me, Caspian. I'll be fine."

"And what of us?" He stepped closer to her.

Ava took in a shaky breath. "Whatever happens...you will always be my greatest companion." Caspian nodded, somewhat sadly, in understanding. "Now, I do believe we have Lord Rhoop and his sword to find. The men will be wanting a short speech, words of encouragement from their King."

"Your father usually writes my speeches for me."

"Well, I suppose you will have to do this one on your own. I know you will do just fine. Just...let your heart guide you." Caspian cocked an eyebrow at her in bewilderment. "Go. I'll be right there; I just want to pull my hair back before I leave." Ava pushed him towards the doors.

"You are wonderful, Ava," Caspian said before he walked out. Once he was gone, Ava let a few silent tears fall before composing herself and following after him.

XOXOX

Caspian gave a riveting speech, or at least he thought he did. Judging by the reaction of the crew and the proud look on Edmund's face he supposed he was right. He followed Ava's advice as best he could, but he could not follow it fully. Ava had told him to follow his heart, but his heart was leading him to something he could not have: Ava. He had not been lying when he said Liliandil was beautiful; she was, and he was sure that she would make a great Queen. But was she or could she ever be as beautiful as Ava? Caspian didn't think so, but how could he tell Ava that when she was so set on her magic?

After the crew's enthusiastic cries of "for Narnia" died down, Caspian walked across the deck to stand behind Drinian on the poop deck. Ava stood slightly in front of him towards the stairs. Edmund and Lucy stood with the crew on the main deck, while Reepicheep rode on Eustace. Dark Island stood directly before them, steadily growing nearer. As they approached the fog grew thick and the Green Mist floated freely around the ship.

This was the moment they had been preparing for. The crew knew the mist would try to get inside their heads and mess with their minds; they had to remain strong. Each crew member saw something different as the mist passed over them. Rhince saw his missing wife. Edmund saw the White Witch. Caspian heard his father, and Ava saw Caspian with Liliandil.

_"He never loved you," Liliandil said. "How could he? Why would he choose you when he could have a star? You will lose everything."_

"No," Ava whispered. "You're wrong. I know that's not true."

Caspian heard Ava whispering and he saw the tears roll down her cheek. He didn't know for sure what she was seeing, but he had a suspicion. He stepped up next to her gently squeezed her hand to reassure her. It seemed to work as the tears ceased their falling and she squeezed his hand back.

They sailed deeper into the fog and the Green Mist parted, momentarily defeated.

XOXOX

*"Keep away!"* a man's desperate voice called out in the dark. *"Keep away!"*

*"Who's there?"* Edmund asked the desperate voice.

*"We do not fear you!"* Caspian added.

*"No I you,"* the voice responded.

Edmund grabbed his torch and shined its light over the starboard side. He scanned the length of the ship and at last saw something worth seeing. A man with a straggly beard and raggedy, torn clothing stood on a lone rock, and in his hand he held a sword. Edmund's torch light reflected off the blade and Edmund knew at once what the man held. Caspian too recognized the sword for what it was and he knew the man was none other than Lord Rhoop.

*"Stand down,"* Caspian ordered the crew who were ready to strike. "We need to get him on board."

Before the crew could do anything to pull Lord Rhoop in, Eustace, who had been flying over head, had heard everything and he swooped down and picked the lord up with his feet and carefully set him down on the deck of the _Dawn Treader_. It took some gentle words and coaxing to calm the frightened lord, but one look at Caspian's face assured the lord that Caspian was King.

*"My Lord, you should not have come. There's no way out of here. Quickly, turn this ship about before it's too late,"* Lord Rhoop urged desperately.

*"We have the sword; let's go!"* Edmund agreed.

Caspian was not going to argue that point and he promptly instructed Drinian to turn the ship around and leave. But before Drinian could do anything, Lord Rhoop felt it necessary to remind the crew once more not to think about their fears. No one had been thinking of their fears until Lord Rhoop told them not to. Edmund had not meant to do it. He didn't even think it was really one of his fears, but the instant the thought popped into his head he knew it could only mean trouble.

*"Oh no,"* Edmund moaned.

*"Edmund? What did you just think of?"* Lucy asked with trepidation.

*"Oh, I'm sorry."* Edmund rushed to the port side and looked over into the water. He prayed silently with all his might that his thought did not register and that they could safely leave the island, but then he saw two round hump-like rocks sink into the ocean and he knew it was too late.

"What was that?" a crewman asked, but before Edmund could answer him and warn them all of the danger he had put them in something bumped into the boat knocking everyone down to the deck. Ava had nearly toppled overboard from where she was standing, but a swift grab from Caspian saved her. He held her arm tightly and pulled her back away from the edge and to his side.

*"It's too late! It's too late!"* Lord Rhoop cried out in despair.

"It's gone back under the boat!" another crewman called out.

Everyone turned around to look across the deck when there was a giant splash from the port side. They caught a glimpse of large green tail with spiked webbed endings before it crashed back into the ocean. A ferocious, high pitched screeching brought their attention to the head of a tall serpent-like creature which towered above the mast. It had two large eyes pinched together in a scowl on what would be its face. In its mouth were at least two rows of very sharp, fang-like teeth. The water which dripped from the tentacles around its mouth made it look like the creature was salivating at the sight of a tasty snack.

"Really Ed? A sea serpent? You had to think of a sea serpent?" Ava asked.

"And it's even uglier than I imagined," Edmund replied.

* * *

><p><strong>P.S. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II was AWESOME! Loved it! Can't wait for the DVD!<strong>


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi there everyone! I'm going to the beach for a little bit this weekend so I won't be able to put chapter 20 up until Sunday or Monday, but this chapter is a doozy so it should hold ya. **

**As usual, the * indicates direct quotes from the movie and the ^ indicates direct quotes from the book. The "un-dragoning" scene in this chapter is my own little take of blending what happened in the book with the movie. I just think that the symbolism of the un-dragoning is too great to overlook.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 19**

"Prepare yourselves men!"

"Hold fast!"

"Steady now!"

Drinian, Tavros, and Caspian shouted orders to the crew. The men stood with their crossbows, bows, and swords ready to fire their attacks at the monstrous sea serpent. But just before the serpent came in for an attack, Eustace and Reepicheep flew in. Eustace breathed fire on the serpent before latching on to its face with his talons. Reepicheep jumped off of Eustace's head and began hacking away at the serpent while Eustace clawed and bit at it. The serpent fought back violently though, shaking its head from side to side trying to dislodge the dragon. On a couple of instances the serpent slammed Eustace into the side of the Dawn Treader causing it to shake viciously; Eustace held on though.

Reepicheep was the first to be dislodged and he was tossed back onto the ship. Eustace stayed on for a bit longer still fighting hard, but eventually he too was tossed aside. Eustace nearly crashed into the sea but he caught his wits and took flight. He headed in for another attack on the serpent and would have been successful, but the serpent was ready for him and caught him by his neck. The serpent dove into the water pulling Eustace along with it.

"No! Eustace!" Ava shouted as she rushed to the side of the ship. Could dragons breathe under water? She looked overboard for any sign of Eustace or the serpent. There was some minor tossing of the waves as if a struggle was taking place, but Ava could not see the creatures.

"It's trying to drown him," Ava concluded. She looked over to Edmund, Lucy, and Caspian and knew that they had come to the same conclusion.

"Ava, you have to save him," Lucy pleaded.

Ava knew what the young queen meant and she quickly unbuckled her sword and container. She handed them over to Edmund while Caspian helped her up onto the railing.

"Be careful," Caspian urged her quietly; Ava nodded and jumped overboard.

Ava instantly let her magic take over and she transformed into her Naiad form. The water was dark, really dark; she could hardly see anything, but she could feel and she felt the struggle through the water. Ava blindly followed that feeling and found Eustace fighting to break free of the serpent's grasp. She knew she had to act quickly because she didn't know how much longer Eustace could hang on.

The first thing Ava did was form an air bubble around Eustace's head so that at least he would have some air to breathe. Eustace noticed the bubble immediately and took a visible gasp of air before turning his head and seeing Ava. Next, Ava knew she had to break the serpent's hold on Eustace and she knew she would never be able to pry it off. Her best chance would be to cause a distraction and make the serpent release Eustace of its own accord. Ava began to create a funnel of water just as she would if she were returning to the ship after a swim only this time she kept the funnel completely under water. Ava then carried the funnel over to the exposed portion of the serpent's head. The serpent's head was immediately sucked into the vortex at the center and it released Eustace with a screech. With Ava's aid, Eustace and Ava swam back to the surface and sought refuge on one of the many rock formations.

"Eustace! Eustace, are you alright?" Ava asked as he let his large dragon head droop against the rock.

Eustace didn't have a chance to give Ava any indication though, because as soon as Ava left the water the vortex dissipated and the serpent broke free. Ava heard the splash behind her as the serpent reared its ugly head and screeched loudly. The serpent came in for another attack but this time it was aiming for Ava. She quickly raised a wall of water and turned it to ice; the serpent crashed into it with a thud. The serpent's attack was deflected, but its head was hard and left a large crack down the center of the ice wall. Ava was already beginning to feel weary and she knew she couldn't keep up her defense much longer. She screamed as the serpent came in for another attack and the ice wall shattered.

Eustace heard Ava scream and knew she was in trouble; he reacted the only way he knew how. He quickly covered Ava with his wing shielding her from the serpent's bite. He roared in pain as the serpent's fangs sunk into his fleshy wing. Then he let out a breath of fire so huge it consumed the serpent's head. It was the serpent's turn to screech in pain as it tossed its head back and forth before diving into the water again.

Eustace didn't have time to enjoy his brave accomplishment though because he felt a sharp pain just above his left arm. That pain, combined with the poison of the serpent left Eustace feeling like he was going to die. And he thought if he was going to die, then he knew he didn't want his family and friends to see it happen. Eustace quickly took flight and left the rock; he ignored the cries of his cousin and Ava for him to come back.

"Ava!" Caspian called.

Ava looked back at the _Dawn Treader_ and saw that the oars were being put out; they were about to leave. Ava knew she had to get back to the ship, but how? The serpent was still in the water and Ava had no idea where exactly. It could be waiting for her and she'd be too weak to fight it off. Then again if Ava stayed on the rock then her chance of survival was even less. Ava could feel the beginnings of fear creeping in; soon she would be locked in her own nightmare.

Suddenly a great white albatross broke through the dark clouds flying on a beam of light. As it flew around the ship and around the rock, Ava felt a flood of confidence envelope her like two large paws holding her in a warm embrace. All at once Ava thought there was nothing to be afraid of as her fears vanished.

"Aslan," she whispered quietly for she knew he was behind the albatross and her feelings. Ava quickly dove into the water once more and swam safely back to the _Dawn Treader_.

XOXOX

"Ava, are you alright?" Caspian asked as he helped a soaking wet Ava back on board.

"Yeah," Ava said wearily. "Thanks to Eustace; he shielded me from the serpent's bite."

"I'm sorry I was ever cruel to him."

The four friends all fell silent for a moment before Ava spoke softly, "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Yeah…" Edmund agreed half-heartedly.

"Meanwhile, the sword. We have to get it to Aslan's table," Ava said.

"One problem, Eustace has the sword," said Lucy."

"What?"

"Lord Rhoop didn't know Eustace was on our side and he threw his sword at him."

Before this new information could even begin to sink in for Ava, a loud screeching drew their attention to the stern of the ship. The serpent had returned with vengeance on its mind; it was angrier than ever before. It was taking great bounds through the water and rapidly approaching the ship.

"We don't have time to worry about that now; we still have a sea serpent to defeat," Caspian pointed out. The serpent made one last great leap before disappearing. Caspian suspected the next time they saw the serpent it would be as it was attacking them, and he warned the crew accordingly. "Brace yourselves!"

Caspian was right. The next time the serpent leapt out of the water it jumped over the deck of the _Dawn Treader_ from port to starboard. As it leapt over the ship it did not clear the deck entirely and took out a good portion of the railing. The serpent then swam back under the ship and leapt over the deck again; it was wrapping itself around the body of its prey preparing to squeeze the life out of it. Ava could hear the hull moan and groan under the pressure of the serpent's body and she knew it was beginning to crack.

Without speaking a word to each other the group of four broke apart to perform separate but necessary tasks. Lucy rushed to the State Room where her sister's bow and arrows sat on display. They had been a gift to Susan from Father Christmas himself on their first visit to Narnia, and he had hinted at the fact that the bow was infused with magic that would not allow it to easily miss a target. Lucy only hoped that now it would be of some use for her in this battle. Caspian rushed to take over the helm, for Drinian's arm had been injured in one of the serpent's wraps. Edmund stayed on the main deck dodging the serpent's body and helping those crewmen who found themselves pinned beneath it.

Ava rushed below deck to the oar room where she found what she had suspected would happen. The serpent was squeezing the ship and causing the hull to crack under the pressure. Water began to spill through some of the larger and deeper crack, flooding the ship. Some men had already found some spare wood and began to seal off the cracks, but it was no use. Ava grabbed the board from one man and tossed it aside before using her magic to seal the crack with ice.

"Well that's one way of sealing it I suppose," Rhince said.

"I don't know how long it will hold, though. You men row, and I'll seal!" Ava shouted before returning to her work. Around her, the men picked the oars back up and began to row with every ounce of strength they had.

XOXOX

Back on the deck, while Caspian commanded the wheel he looked out over the sea and was struck with an idea.

*"Ed! Ed!"* Caspian called out to his friend below. Edmund looked up at him expectantly. *"We'll ram the serpent. Smash him on the rocks!"* He nodded his head in the direction of the rock he was referring to.

*"Steer her to port! I'll keep it on the prow!"* Edmund called back before rushing off to the front of the ship.

Edmund quickly climbed up the dragon's neck and entered into its mouth. He pulled his torch and Peter's sword out. He flashed the light of the torch into the serpent's eyes to gain its attention; it worked like a charm. The serpent swiftly positioned its great ugly head at the prow of the ship. It let out a screech of protest as Edmund shined the light right in its eye.

*"Try and kill me! Come on!"* Edmund taunted. *"Come on, I'm here!"*

The serpent reared back its head as it prepared for the attack. Edmund held his position until the last possible second before retreating deeper into the dragon's mouth. The serpent came in and clenched its jaws around the top half of the dragon's mouth and snapped it off. Edmund remained unharmed, tucked into a corner. As the serpent spat out the splintered wood, Edmund climbed out of the dragon's mouth and onto its head. Edmund laughed boldly in the face of the serpent and taunted it for missing him.

Meanwhile, Lucy had emerged from the State Room with bow and arrow and climbed to the poop deck in time to see the serpent strike at the dragon's mouth. She had cried out in fear, somehow knowing her brother was inside; she visibly exhaled when she saw her brother climb back out unscathed. While Edmund continued to keep the serpent's attention, Lucy prepared her bow. She hoped she might be able to impair it if she took out an eye and so that's what she aimed for. With precise timing that would rival the Gentle Queen's, Lucy let an arrow soar through the air; it hit its target cleanly.

After sealing off of all the cracks she could find, Ava returned to the main deck in time to see a red tipped arrow fly through the air and land squarely in the serpent's large round eye. The serpent screeched in pain much as it had when Eustace had consumed its head in flames. As Ava watched the serpent thrash its head about she noticed the large cropping of rock dead ahead. She knew at once what the plan was and quickly rushed to the mast to secure herself for the impact.

*"Brace yourselves!"* Caspian shouted just before the ship and serpent slammed into the rocks.

The serpent absorbed most of the blow but the crew was still jostled about. Just before they struck, however, Edmund half leapt and half fell from the top of the dragon's head. He struck hard on the serpent's body before rolling onto the deck. The serpent uncoiled its body from the ship and the _Dawn Treader_ began to pull away.

"Edmund! Edmund, are you alright?" Ava asked as she rushed to check on her friend.

Edmund grunted as he sat up. "Yes, I think so."

Ava helped him to his feet as Lucy and Caspian came to check on him as well. Ava stepped back to survey the damage. There were four great big gaps in the railing where the serpent's body had been and derby was scattered everywhere. All of the crewmembers were nearly completely soaked; Lucy seemed to be the driest among them for her brief stint in the cabin. A mixture of sweat, sea water, and blood ran down many of the faces.

Ramming the serpent on the rocks had not defeated it as Caspian might have hoped; it only served to anger the creature even more. While the _Dawn Treader_ moved steadily away, the serpent screeched and howled, and for anyone watching it began to glow around its core. The serpent raised up its body, appearing to grow larger. A strange cackling sound, it was later described as laughter, drew all attention back to the serpent. Suddenly, along the glowing seam down the center, the serpent's body spread open to reveal row upon row of venomous fangs. Caspian quickly took note of the serpent's position; it was centered with the ship, and to Caspian's horror Ava was in its direct line of attack.

"Ava, move!" Caspian shouted.

Before Ava could react, Caspian closed the short distance between them with a short run and a small jump. He threw his arms around Ava and his momentum carried them away just as the serpent's body came crashing down. Caspian carefully cradled Ava to his chest and rolled so that he took most of the blow. Caspian landed roughly on his shoulder and immediately rolled so that he was covering Ava with his body.

Ava wrapped her arms around Caspian's neck as his body slammed into hers. She shut her eyes tightly and braced herself for the landing. She had expected to feel sore and perhaps a little winded from the blow. She had not expected to feel the immense pain in her leg that she did. At first it was like a sharp puncture wound as if from the blade of a sword, but then it quickly became much more. Ava felt a liquid begin to fill the wound; it was both icy cold and boiling hot, all at once. Ava tried to cry out in pain but she could not find the breath to do so. She gasped for air but each gasp sent shockwaves of pain through her entire body.

"Ava? Ava, what's wrong? Ava?" Caspian saw Ava trying to gasp for air and he quickly moved off of her, but even when she was free she continued to gasp for air. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes and slid slowly down her face. As Caspian stared into her round, watery eyes he saw the evident pain she was experiencing, and it filled his heart with pain not knowing what to do.

"Caspian her leg!" Lucy shouted.

Caspian immediately looked down at Ava's leg and saw that one of the serpent's fangs had managed to get her; apparently he had not pushed her far enough out of the way. The serpent was beginning to rise again with its fang still imbedded in Ava's leg. Caspian quickly looked around and grabbed a loose sword. He hacked the fang off and the serpent reeled back in pain. The fang turned to green mist and dissipated at once and Ava took in a lung full of air with an audible gasp.

"Ava?" Caspian dropped the sword and held her face in his hands. Ava took in another deep breath as she looked into his eyes. They were moist with tears he fought to keep back, but as one escaped Ava reached up to wipe it away. She smiled faintly as she sat up.

"I'm fine, Caspian," Ava said weakly; she only lied a little. The icy, boiling liquid and the immense pain were gone, and she could breathe again. Now she only felt dizzy, weak, and a little nauseous. "The poison is gone; I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure Ava?" Lucy asked as she and Edmund joined them. "There could still be traces of the poison in you. Perhaps you should take a drop of my cordial; it's in the cabin."

"That's a good idea, Lucy." Ava nodded. "I'll go do that now." She stood up and began to stumble to the State Room.

"Here, let me come with you," Caspian said as he placed her arm around his neck to support her weight.

"No," Ava said firmly as she pulled her arm back. "Stay here Caspian. Fight. We can beat this creature. Don't worry about me." Caspian reluctantly let Ava stumble off alone.

"She's right, Caspian," Edmund said. "We need to tackle one demon at a time." Edmund and Caspian looked up at the sea serpent. It was currently tangled in the rigging and battling the sail; it was trying to pull the ship over.

*"We can beat this,"* Caspian repeated Ava's words.

*"We need to get it closer."*

*"All hands to the main deck!"* Drinian shouted.

*"Ready the Harpoons!"* Caspian ordered while Edmund headed for the fighting top.

XOXOX

After flying off the rock and away from the _Dawn Treader_, Eustace really had no idea where to go but he knew he couldn't die in front of his family and friends. He felt bad for leaving Ava alone on the rock, but he knew Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian wouldn't let anything happen to her. He felt like he was flying in circles; there was nowhere to land and no way to leave this retched dark cloud. Then suddenly, as if out of nowhere, there was a shinning white albatross flying next to him. Eustace didn't know why, but he somehow knew he was meant to follow the albatross and so he did.

Eustace followed the albatross right through the clouds and they left Dark Island almost at once. A short distance away Eustace saw none other than Ramandu's Island and he landed on the beach with a crash, tossing a wall of sand everywhere. The albatross landed a few feet away. Through half closed eyes, Eustace saw the albatross glow a bright gold as it morphed into a lion, a lion much larger than any ordinary lion. Now Eustace knew he must be dying because things like that were just impossible…weren't they?

The Lion began to approach Eustace slowly and when it was two feet from him, the Lion spoke to him. He told Eustace to follow him; for reasons Eustace did not understand, he followed the Great Lion. After wandering a bit off the path they came across a large bubbling well. Once again the Lion spoke to Eustace and told him to undress and bathe in the well. At first Eustace was confused; he didn't know how he could undress when he wore no clothes, but then he thought perhaps the Lion meant he should shed his dragon skin.

Eustace began to scratch and a few scales began to fall off. He scratched deeper and before long he had shed his whole skin. He went to bathe in the well, but the moment he stepped forward he knew he still had his dragon skin on. So, he began scratching again and he shed the second time. As he peered into the water he saw his dragon skin reflection; he shed a third time, but still he remained in his dragon skin.

^"You will have to let me undress you,"^ the Lion said.

Eustace, though he was frightened, lay flat on his back and let the Lion scratch away his dragon skin. It was a pain more terrifying and yet more satisfying than anything he had ever felt, but once the Lion was done the dragon skin was completely gone and Eustace could bathe in the well. When Eustace emerged from the well he was no longer a dragon; he was a boy again!

The Great Lion was gone, but lying on the ground beside the well was a pile of clothes and the sword of Lord Rhoop. Eustace quickly put the clothes on and grabbed the sword. He made a mad dash for Aslan's table; he had to place the final sword with the others, he only hoped it wasn't too late. As Eustace approached the long banquet table, he saw the other six swords glowing brightly and rattling. It was as if they knew their brother was nearby. Just as Eustace was about to lay the sword on the table he was pulled back and enveloped by a cloud of the Green Mist. Eustace fought his way through the mist; there was no way he had come this far to fail now. He sliced the sword through the air to disperse the mist and at last he lay the sword down with the others. Instantly, a beam of light shot into the air.

XOXOX

On the _Dawn Treader_, Caspian and his crew had managed to harpoon the sea serpent and bring its head within range of Edmund who stood on the fighting top with his sword ready. Just as Edmund was preparing to jam Rhindon into the serpent, a cloud of Green Mist came up beside him and formed into the White Witch distracting him from the task at hand. Edmund's distraction allowed the serpent to break free of its restraints and knock everyone off their feet.

*"Just give in,"* The White Witch urged.

All of a sudden Rhindon began to glow. Edmund knew what he must do. He turned his back on the White Witch and called out to the serpent. The serpent screeched and without hesitation, it opened its mouth wide and launched at Edmund. Edmund ducked under the serpent's teeth and stabbed it in the roof of its mouth. The serpent screeched loudly one last time as lightening shot out of its head and chest, before falling into the sea, never to rise again. The dark clouds surrounding the ship and island began to break apart and beams of light shined through. The spell of Dark Island was lifting.

Lucy brought attention to this phenomenon by calling out, *"Edmund! Caspian! Look!"*

Edmund and Caspian looked on in wonder and awe as the dark clouds gave way to blue skies. From the foggy haze that still lingered, longboats full of people began to emerge. The crew erupted with cheers at the sight. When Edmund finally reached the main deck again, he gave his sister a warm embrace.

"Help them on board! *Clear the decks,*" Caspian told the crew as he joined Edmund and Lucy. He gave Lucy's shoulder a gentle squeeze and she smiled up at him.

*"We did it,"* she said.

*"It wasn't just us though,"* Edmund replied.

"Eustace must have found a way to place the sword at Aslan's table," Caspian said.

"But how?" Lucy asked.

Suddenly Lucy heard Eustace call her name. "Lucy! Lucy! I'm over here! I'm in the water!"

Lucy and the kings walked across the ship and looked over the port side to find Eustace treading water; how he had gotten there he didn't know, but he was glad to be back. Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian were all glad that he was back too, so was Reepicheep. In fact, Reepicheep was so pleased to see Eustace again he leapt into the water to greet him.

"Won't Ava be thrilled to see this!" Edmund exclaimed.

"Ava! Ava, come and see this! Eustace is a boy again!" Caspian called out, but there was no response. "Ava?" he questioned as he looked about the deck. There was no sign of the Naiad Princess. "Where is she?"

"The last I saw her she was going to the cabin for the cordial," Lucy said.

Caspian felt a new wave of dread settle over him. It was not like Ava to hide, so for her to have missed the rest of the battle something must have happened to her. He quickly darted over to the State Room, Eustace's transformation forgotten, with Lucy hot on his tail. Edmund desperately wanted to go too, but he knew he had to see to Eustace and Reepicheep returning to the deck.

Caspian burst through the door of the State Room to see his fear realized. Ava lay unmoving on the floor.

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I know...another cliffie. But there is only one more cliffie left before the last chapter (for this part at least). On a side note, I have written the first chapter of part 3 and I love it! I can't wait to share it with you. Also, I have added a summary for Finding Home on my profile; check it out if you're interested.<strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi there! So the beach was very nice! I had a great time with my mom! I've got a bit a good news and bad news for ya.**

**Bad news first: I'm going away again this weekend. Leaving sometime on Friday (July 29) and returning sometime on Sunday (July 31).**

**Good news (if you want to see it that way): I'll post the final chapter before I leave! **

**Wow! I can't believe we're finally almost there! Feels like this part has been going on forever! But I'm so excited to start part 3! Hope you all join me there! And I'm so glad you have all stuck with me through this part! Through all the cliffies (beware there's a slight one at the end of this chapter too), and the kisses, and the almost kisses, and the fake Caspians. **

**This chapter is all about Ava. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 20**

Ava opened her heavy eyes to find herself lying on soft green grass. She could hear a small babbling brook nearby, and she knew the sun was shining brightly but she was well shaded by the trees around her. A soft but strong and steady purr made Ava sit up and look around quickly. Her smile grew just as quickly.

"Aslan!" she exclaimed before rushing forward and throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh Aslan! It's been so long. I am glad to see you."

The Great Lion chuckled. "I am glad to see you too."

"Where are we, Aslan?" Ava asked as she crossed her legs and sat before the golden Lion. Her surroundings looked vaguely familiar, but she could not place where she had seen them before.

"Do you not recognize this place, my child?"

Ava looked around again and gasped. "The Dancing Lawn! We're on the Dancing Lawn!" Aslan nodded his head. "Narnia! We've returned at last. Has the rest of the crew returned safely as well? Is Caspian here? Caspian…"

As Ava said her King's name she suddenly remembered where she had been moments ago. Sights and sounds of the battle with the sea serpent flashed through her head, as if it were all a dream. She saw the serpent pull Eustace under the water as it tried to drown him. She saw the _Dawn Treader_ ram the serpent into a rock as it tried to free itself from the serpent's deadly coils. She saw the serpent spread its body. She saw Caspian rush to her to push her out of the way of the serpent's venomous fangs. And she saw the fear in his eyes as she struggled for breath.

"Caspian's not here, is he Aslan?"

"No, my child, he is not."

"Aslan, am I…dead?"

Aslan sighed. "No, you are not dead Ava. I have brought you here for another reason. You are confused my child, why?"

"I am not sure why I am here, Aslan. You are the real Aslan. I look at you and I feel it in my heart and I know it is true. But, how…why have you returned me to Narnia alone? I do not understand."

Aslan chuckled. "I meant with your heart you are confused. Why is there conflict within you between your magic and Caspian?"

"Oh, that," Ava eyes dropped to the ground as her cheeks colored. "You know about that?" The Lion merely looked at her knowingly. "Oh of course you do."

"What troubles you, child?"

"I love him, Aslan. I love Caspian. I'm not really sure when or how it happened, but I love him."

"I can see that you do, my child. I can see that you love him very much. Why does this grieve you?"

"Because, Aslan, I am the Naiad Princess, and I cannot love a man and keep my magic. And how could I leave the Narnians? How could I leave them without a Naiad Princess?"

"It is true, my child, that you cannot have both, but why do you believe you would leave them without a Princess?"

"Oh! Aslan, do you mean that there would be another to take my place?"

"Child, you know I can tell you no other story than your own."

"Oh, right." Ava's shoulders dropped. "I don't suppose there could be another Princess anyways; I am the last in the direct line from the River God. Could you at least tell me if Caspian would be happy with Liliandil as his Queen?"

"You know I cannot."

"I was afraid you'd say that." Ava sighed heavily. "Aslan, I don't know what to do. I don't know what I want."

"Perhaps that will help," Aslan said as he looked to his left. Ava followed his gaze and saw an ancient looking well that she had never seen before.

"Where did that come from?"

"Go to it, my child. Look into its waters and it will show you. I must leave you to examine the waters alone, but when you are ready, I will return you to the _Dawn Treader_."

Ava asked no further questions of Aslan, and went silently to the well. When she gazed into its still waters she saw only her own reflection at first, but then the waters began to stir and an image formed there. It was of a young girl sitting alone in a stone courtyard. Ava recognized the courtyard at once; she had walked by this courtyard everyday while performing her chores. It was the dull and lifeless courtyard of the King's Castle at Beaver's Dam, only a little less dull in the image. It took Ava a moment to recognize the young girl as her younger self.

_Ava sat on the small stone wall of an unused fountain. Her head was bowed and she was nervously playing with the sash of her dress. The dress was very uncomfortable, and Ava hated wearing it, but it was the nicest thing she owned and her father insisted that she wear it to their visit to the castle. Ava was both in awe of being in the King's Castle, and in fear; what if the Lord Protector somehow knew their secret? How much trouble would Father be in? What would happen to her? Ava was absorbed in her thoughts and did not notice the young boy approach her._

_ "Who are you? I've never seen you here before. Are you new to the castle?" the boy asked. _

_Ava jumped at the boy's presence before looking up at him. He had long dark hair that fell about his eyes; he had to keep tossing his head to keep it away. His eyes were a deep brown, but soft and warm. He was dressed in nice clothes, and Ava thought he must the son of one of the Lords. He was taller than Ava would be if she were standing, but he couldn't be more than two, maybe three, years older than her. If Ava herself had been a little older and to the point where she fancied boys, she just might fancy him, but as it was, she was only seven._

_ "Sorry," the boy apologized sheepishly. "I didn't mean to startle you."_

_ "It's alright," Ava said shyly before hastily adding, "My Lord." The boy flinched a little at the formality of the title. He was hoping she might be different. "And to answer your question, yes, I am new to the castle. Father was summoned to a meeting with the Lord Protector. Miss Concettina could not watch me, so Father had to bring me along with him."_

_ "Could you not stay with your mother?"_

_ "Mother…mother died many years ago." Ava tried very hard to keep her voice from wavering; she wasn't sure how well she succeeded though._

_ "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. My mother is dead too."_

_ Ava saw that the boy's eyes seemed to grow very distant and sad, like he was lost in some memory. "You may sit if you like, Sir."_

_ "Thank you."_

_ "Do you miss your mother very much?"_

_ "I do," the boy nodded._

_ "You're lucky then."_

_ "How do you mean?"_

_ "I don't miss my mother. I never knew my mother; I have no memories of her, so how can I miss her?"_

_ "I suppose I can understand that logic." The boy smiled faintly and Ava returned it. "Do you know why your father was summoned?" Ava shook her head. "It probably has to with the Prince."_

_ "What would Father have to do with the Prince?"_

_ "It is rumored that Miraz…I mean the Lord Protector is looking for a new tutor for the Prince."_

_ "Oh, well then he would be wise to choose Father. He is the most learned man I've ever known. The Prince would learn much from Father."_

_ "Of course you would say that; he is your father."_

_ "Well, yes, but I judge him fairly. I promise you." The boy's smile grew and Ava giggled. "But Oh! What would happen to me if Father became the Prince's tutor?"_

_ The boy shrugged a shoulder. "I suppose you would have to move into the castle too, and then perhaps…we could become friends."_

_ Ava's smile broadened and she felt her cheeks flush; she bowed her head so that her hair would hide her reddening cheeks. She had never had a friend before. She'd tried to make friends with the other boys and girls in her village, but they all seemed to think her too different and they kept their distance. _

_ "Well…Sir, what do two…friends…do to entertain themselves in this castle?"_

_ The boy grinned; he was eager to have a friend, even if it was a girl. "Well, they certainly don't sit in some boring stone courtyard. Come; let me show you some of the passages of the castle."_

_ The boy stood up and held a hand out for Ava to take. She really didn't know why, but she trusted the young boy fully and accepted his hand. _

Ava sat back. It was a memory. The scene she had just seen, just relived in the well was a memory. It was memory she forgot she had but it was a memory nonetheless. Ava didn't know it at the time the scene first happened, but the young boy she had agreed to be friends with was none other than His Royal Majesty Prince Caspian. Of course, Ava and Caspian never got to become the friends that they'd so desperately wanted be, because when she moved into the castle she was assigned chores and was kept away from the Prince.

Ava marveled at how easily she had come to trust Caspian back then. She recalled vaguely the ridicule she would receive from the kids in her village, at how difficult it had been to make friends with anyone. But that wasn't so when it came to Caspian. They had sparked a friendship instantly. She was relaxed around him, free to be herself.

What did this mean? How was this supposed to help her choose? Ava needed to see more, so she gazed back into the well.

XOXOX

Ava saw many more memories; some were shorter than the first and some were longer. Many of them pertained to Caspian in some way. Ava may have forgotten about the first time she met Caspian, but she remembered the other times she had seen him around the castle. Sometimes she would watch him practice his sword fighting while she was cleaning; other times she would see him riding Destrier in the fields or brushing his coat. Always though, Ava remained silent and hidden as a servant was meant to be. It wasn't until Ava had been in the wrong place at the wrong time—or perhaps it was the right place at the right time—when the Senior Maiden called her to help with the linens that Ava and Caspian had direct contact again.

_Ava left her father's quarters in a hurry, almost forgetting to say goodbye or curtsey. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she knew he must have heard it. How could he not? Ava feared it was about to pump right out her chest it was so loud; surely it had at least gotten closer to the surface. She seemed to even be able to feel it constraining her lungs for she was finding it harder to breathe. Ava knew she could not be seen like this in front of the other cleaning maidens, so she quickly ducked behind a suit of armor. She dropped the dirty linens on the floor and grasped her chest, urging her heart to steady._

_ "He touched me," she whispered softly to herself. "He touched me, and he knew my name. The Prince touched me." _

_ Ava could not help but smile at the thought. She closed her eyes and she could almost feel his soft hand cupping her chin, and she could hear his voice as he spoke her name. Oh the sweet sound of it! She wished she could hear him say it a thousand times. _

_ Oh! And his eyes! What eyes they were! They were so intense and yet so gentle and so very, very warm. She could easily become lost in them. Their warmth flooded her when their gazes locked, and she nearly forgot how to speak, how to breathe even._

_ "Oh, get a hold of yourself, Ava," she scolded herself. "He is a Prince. You are a cleaning maiden. He will marry some beautiful princess, and you…you will be lucky to feel the grass again. Oh! But he touched me, and he knew my name. And that is something I can always cherish."_

_ "Ava!" the Senior Maiden called her name harshly and Ava looked about quickly. She had not been spotted yet. "Where is that foolish girl?" _

_ Ava quietly gathered the lines again and left her hiding place; there was work to be done._

Ava smiled peacefully to herself. How different she seemed back then. How insecure, how obedient, and how…hopeful but sad she had been. As Ava closed her eyes now, she could still remember the way Caspian's hand had felt on her chin and how warm his eyes had been. He had changed over the years too, but not for the worse.

Ava looked back into the well. She relived again the time she and Caspian shared a conversation on the ledge of the How. She remembered how easy their friendship had come, and she remembered the feelings his smile stirred within her. Then she saw him lifting her onto Destrier's back behind Lucy; she remembered the feel of his hands on her hips. She saw him at his coronation, promising to treat every man and beast equally. She saw him fighting alongside his people, protecting them from the Giants of the north. And she saw him injured; she remembered the wild emotions she felt as her hand grazed over the skin of his chest. She saw him defending her honor on Glama and fighting for her life at Narrowhaven. She felt again his kiss and the heat that it caused. She heard him whispering how beautiful she was in her ear. She saw their fight on Coriakin's island and she saw them make up, remembering how easy it had been and remembering what reason she gave for fighting. And she remembered how desperately she wanted to kiss him again, and how close she had come. And she saw him cry when he thought she might die from the sea serpent's poison.

"STOP!" Ava shouted as she jumped away from the well. Tears were streaming down her face. With every memory she saw she felt the feelings as if they were happening all over again. She couldn't take it any longer. She didn't understand how reliving all these memories was supposed to help her get over her love for Caspian. Ava wiped the tears from her eyes before crawling back to the well.

"Please," she begged with a sob. "Show me something from my Naiad memories. Remind me of those feelings."

The well obeyed.

XOXOX

The well showed her memories from her childhood when she lived with her father in the hut outside Beruna and she would pretend to play with Chérie in garden. The well showed her dancing before the How, reminding her of how it felt to feel the grass under her feet, and the sun on her skin, and the wind in her hair. The well showed her meeting Aslan for the first time and she remembered the life he had given her.

Ava saw next the greatest Naiad memory she had, her decent into the river and the releasing of the River God. Ava saw her days of training with the Naiads where she learned to wield and control her magic. She saw not only when she learned all the Narnian dances, but also when she performed them for all of Narnia. She remembered the feeling it would give her, complete freedom and happiness. She didn't have to hide a thing.

She remembered the feel of her magic flowing through her. She remembered healing the wounded Narnians and the joy it gave her to see them smile, and to know that they would return to their families. She remembered what it was like to fight for the Narnians to ensure that they could return to their families. She remembered how it felt to make them happy and to see their joy. Memory after memory showed her what she asked for, but then they began to change.

_Ava stood on the fighting top keeping watch; Reepicheep stood next to her._

_ "I'm in love, Reepicheep…with the idea of love," Ava explained. "Before I knew I was the Naiad Princess, I was just a girl. And like any other girl, I dreamed of falling in love. I dreamed of what it would be like to love a man and to have a man love me. I dreamed of marriage and raising a family with my husband. As the Princess, all those dreams are impossible; I cannot love a man and keep my magic. I miss those dreams Reep, and I long for them again. But I'm afraid I long for them too much; I love the idea of love so much, that my magic has begun to fade and weaken. I feel awful for betraying the Narnians in such a way, but…"_

_ "Betraying the Narnians?" Reepicheep interrupted with astonishment. "Sweet Princess, how have you betrayed the Narnians?"_

_ "I'm losing my magic, Reepicheep."_

_ "Losing it for love; Princess, that is not such a terrible thing as you have made it out to be. I, myself, have never known the wonders of love, but I do know that it is a most honorable cause. To love someone, to give your heart fully to them is, I think, the bravest and noblest thing one could do."_

_ To hear Reepicheep speak of love being brave, noble, and honorable was not what Ava had expected. She thought for sure that he would find a way to persuade her to keep her magic for the sake of the Narnians. Instead, it seemed as if he thought there should be no question on it and that love was the obvious choice. Of course, Ava had concealed the truth a bit; she was not in love with the idea of love, she was in love with her King. Would that have changed the noble mouse's mind at all?_

_ "Thank you, Reepicheep. You have indeed given me something to think about," Ava replied earnestly._

Hearing Reepicheep's thoughts on love were no less shocking the second time around.

_Ava stood alone in the forest; a small brook ran alongside her to the left and an old, large oak tree sat to her right. This had been the spot that Dr. Cornelius had found her basket. She had come here, hoping to find some answers at last. She wanted to know why. Suddenly, the water began to bubble beside her, and the River God emerged. Like Ava, he could travel easily any body of water and walk the dry land without limitations._

_ "You wished to speak with me, my daughter?" he asked; his voice was just as deep as when she first heard it._

_ "Yes; I was told if anyone could help me, it would be you."_

_ The River God looked around at their surroundings and knew at once why the young Naiad before him had asked to meet him here. "This is about your mother, isn't it?"_

_ "Yes. I was told you knew her best."_

_ "I know all my children equally."_

_ "But they don't always know each other equally," Ava replied._

_ The River God smiled. "That is true. What would you like know?"_

_ "I want to know why. Why did she give me up? Why didn't she want to keep me? Not that I wasn't happy on land; I was. Dr. Cornelius has been like a father to me and I am certain I shall always think of him as such, but did I do something to make her __**want**__ to give me up?" Ava could not stop the tears from falling down her cheeks._

_ "Daughter," the River God promptly dried her tears. "Your mother loved you very much. She was never happier than when she became a mother. She would have given anything to be the one to teach your magic."_

_ "Then why did she do it?"_

_ "Let us sit," he indicated to the bed of heather beneath the oak tree. "Your mother was very special; the last in my direct line before you. She too was the Princess, or she would have been if we could have been free to roam the land. Your father was equally special; he was one of the rare males among my children. He also had the gift of foresight. Your parents fell in love at once, and they spent many years together. _

_ "Then one day, your father had a vision. And in that vision he saw his beautiful daughter bringing peace to Narnia. It wasn't long after that, that your parents decided to have a child. You mother was sad to see your father go, but at the sight of you her heart was once more filled with joy. _

_ "None, not even myself, knew what your father's vision really meant. Your mother though, believed it meant that you would play a great role in restoring Narnia, but she didn't know how. She would often swim, with you, along the private streams and brooks. This brook was one of her favorites. It was while she was swimming this brook that she came across Dr. Cornelius. She knew at once that he was different than the other men. She knew him to be a half Dwarf. She followed him for many miles and saw that he was looking for something."_

_ "The Old Narnians. He was looking for any sign that they might still exist," Ava explained.  
><em>

_ "Yes, he was and your mother saw this. She knew then, that she could trust him to take care of you. She believed, in order for you to restore Narnia you must live above the river. So, she fastened a basket from oak leaves and twigs and she sent you to the surface. She watched long enough for the professor to find you and then she returned home to tell me of what she had done. Her magic only lasted long enough to do this, and then she passed on to reign in Aslan's Country."_

_ "But I didn't restore Narnia. Caspian and Peter led the fight. Aslan awoke the trees just as he awoke you. I did nothing."_

_ "Then perhaps your mother was wrong. Perhaps you were not meant to restore Narnia. The trees have been awoken and our magic has been restored fully, but we still have a long road to travel before there is peace between us. Perhaps you will find a way yet to bring about that peace."_

Ava looked away from the well. Her head was swimming. She knew at last what she must do.

"I'm ready, Aslan."

* * *

><p><strong>What's her decision? What choice is going to make? Will she follow her heart? or keep her magic? Find out later this week (Friday morning at the latest).<strong>


	21. Chapter 21

**Here it is. I won't say much now, I'll just let you get to it.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Naiad Trilogy<strong>

**Part 2: The Naiad and Her King**

**Chapter 21**

Ava lay on the floor of the State Room on her back. Her damp hair was splayed across her serene face, and her eyes were closed softly. She looked as if she could be sleeping, but when Caspian called her name she did not stir in the least. Caspian rushed to her side and placed a hand to her throat; her skin was warm and he felt the small thump-thump of her pulse. He visibly relaxed and let out the breath he had been holding.

"She's alive," he said, "but maybe we should give her some cordial anyways. It could still be the poison." Before Caspian could even finish his sentence, Lucy was already heading to the cabinet. Caspian turned his attention back to Ava.

He brushed aside the hair from her face to see a vision of beauty. She had to wake up. She had to make it through this. He could never forgive himself for letting her go off alone, if she didn't wake from this. As he waited for Lucy to return, he wondered briefly if he would feel this way if Liliandil were in Ava's place. He knew instantly that he would not. There could be no substitute for Ava in his heart.

"Here, open her mouth a little," Lucy said as she knelt on the other side of Ava. Caspian quickly obeyed and Lucy let a single drop fall. Caspian cradled Ava's head in his arms and waited anxiously for her to wake; gently stroking her cheek as he waited.

"Come on Ava, please wake up," Caspian urged.

"You need to be prepared, Caspian. She might have to sleep for a few days like she did on the Lone Islands."

No sooner had Lucy said that though and they both heard the faint whisper of a Lion's roar. They looked around the cabin for Aslan but saw nothing. Their attention was quickly brought back to Ava when they heard her mumble something indistinctly. Her eyes fluttered a few times before opening fully. Her blue orbs immediately found Caspian, and she smiled faintly. Caspian helped Ava sit up before pulling her to his chest and embracing her tightly.

"You've got to stop doing that, Ava," he muttered.

She let out a breathy laugh. "I'm sorry, but really, it wasn't my doing this time. Aslan called me away."

"Aslan?" Lucy questioned.

"Yes I…I had to do something." Ava pulled back from Caspian to look into his eyes. "There's something I need to tell you," she said to him.

"There is something I wish to say too. Please, may I go first?"

"Caspian, I…"

"Please, Ava, before I lose the courage." Ava smiled and relented with a nod.

"You were right; Liliandil is beautiful and she would make a great Queen."

Ava said nothing and showed no sign that Caspian's words had any effect on her.

Caspian continued without pause. "But, she is not the Queen I want. I love you, Ava. You are the epitome of beauty. Ava…"

"Caspian—"

"—Please, let me finish." Ava pressed her lips together in a tight line. "There are no words to describe how strong my love is for you, or how it grows stronger with each passing day. Ava, if you will not be my Queen, then I will choose to have no Queen because I know I could never love her. I know what it is I ask of you, but I could never love another more than I love you."

Caspian fell silent but Ava did not respond immediately; she waited a few seconds before saying, "May I speak now?" Caspian gave a single nod of his head.

But, still, Ava did not speak. Instead, she leaned in until her lips were pressed against his. Caspian only hesitated for a second or two before enveloping her in his arms again and deepening their kiss. Ava responded in kind by wrapping her arms around his neck. Lucy took a seat on the bed, forgotten for the time being but perfectly content. At last Ava and Caspian broke apart but they remained close.

"Caspian," Ava whispered. "My heart had already chosen you before I even knew there was a choice to make. I love you Caspian. I have loved you from the start and I will love you until the end…and I pray there will be no end."

Caspian smiled and ran his fingers over her smooth cheek. "Say those words again."

Ava didn't have to ask what words he meant; she knew. "I love you Caspian. I love you."

His smiled widened. "I love you too." And then they kissed once more.

XOXOX

It seemed to take forever for Edmund to get Eustace and Reepicheep to return to the boat; he would have shouted out the warning of Ava in trouble, but he did not want to unnerve the crew. When at last Eustace was on deck, Edmund quickly embraced his cousin, wet clothing and all, and whispered the news to him. Together they promptly made their way to the State Room; what they found was not what they expected.

"Whoa," Edmund said as he took a step back. Caspian and Ava were currently locked in a kiss while Lucy sat on the bed with a smile; her head was propped up in her hands.

"They've been doing that for awhile now," Lucy said. "They pause every now and then to say 'I love you.'"

"Gross," Eustace murmured.

"It's sweet, and a long time coming."

"Ahem," Edmund gave a sudden and loud fake cough. Caspian and Ava broke apart in surprise; Ava buried her head in Caspian's chest in embarrassment.

"Edmund!" Lucy scolded him, but he paid her no mind.

"It is good to see Ava is well," Edmund said with a smirk.

"It is very good," Caspian replied, not at all trying to conceal his enthusiasm. "Ava," he shook her shoulder. "Ava, look to the door."

Ava was reluctant to do so, but she complied nonetheless. "Eustace!" she exclaimed at the sight of him. She hurried to her feet to embrace the boy. "How did this happen?"

"Aslan changed me back; at least, I'm pretty sure that's who it was. After all you guys have said about him, I don't think it could have been anyone else."

"Well, I'm glad to see you alright. And I must thank you for…"

"Oh, please don't. I don't deserve any thanks, not really. I really must apologize, to everyone. *I'm so sorry for being such a sop.*"

"It's all forgotten, Eustace. Don't think on it anymore," Caspian said as he came to stand beside Ava, placing a hand on the small of her back; she smiled up at him.

"Caspian is right," Edmund said. "Aslan saw fit to forgive you and change you, so none of your previous actions can be held against you now."

"Your Majesties, Princess, Eustace," Rynelf said as he stepped up to the door behind Edmund. "You really must come and see this."

"Are the people alright, Rynelf?" Caspian asked.

"Everyone is fine. It's…you just have to see it." Rynelf smiled.

Now, very curious, the friends all walked back onto the main deck where they found everyone looking off to the east. Reepicheep was at the front of the crowd, dancing on one of the remaining sections of the railing and singing his lullaby that the crew had heard numerous times. They made their way through to the front of the crowd and when she saw what lay before them, Ava joined in on Reepicheep's song.

^Where sky and water meet

Where the waves grow sweet

Doubt not, Reepicheep

To find all you seek

There is the utter east^

"Oh, Caspian, look," Ava said softly; her breath taken by the beauty of the sight before her. Off in the distance they could see white flowers growing, or perhaps floating on the sea, and beyond that white clouds floating on the horizon. It truly did look like the sky and the water were coming together as one.

"Do you think that's…?" Caspian said.

"Aslan's Country? I do, Caspian that must be it."

*"Well, we've come this far,"* said Edmund.

"Drinian!" Caspian looked about for the captain. "It seems we have come close to the end of the world, and I have a desire to see the very edge of it. Will you sail us as close as you can? Then the six of us will continue on in a long boat while you await our return at Ramandu's Island?"

"Aye, Your Majesty," Drinian responded before calling his men to work.

"Six of us?" Edmund questioned.

"I dare not refuse Reepicheep from traveling with us," Caspian responded with a laugh.

XOXOX

A little while later, the six of them sat in a long boat. Reepicheep was standing at the prow, nearly leaning into the water he was so far forward. Lucy sat at the rudder. Edmund and Caspian rowed, and Ava and Eustace sat in the middle. Ava and Caspian could not stop smiling or glancing at each other.

"So, what does this mean for the two of you?" Eustace asked. "Are you a Queen now or, something?" He looked to Ava.

Ava cringed a little at the thought but Caspian laughed. "No, she is not my Queen yet. But I intend to make her one the moment we return to Narnia."

"I'm not sure I know how to be Queen," Ava said unsurely.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. You already have everyone's love and respect; I've seen it," Eustace pointed out.

"Thanks. You're confidence in me is assuring."

"I'm curious though, what brought about this sudden change of heart?" Edmund asked.

"Not that he's saying you should change your mind again," Caspian quickly added.

Ava giggled. "It was my mother. Both of my parents actually, my Naiad parents that is, and the River God." When everyone gave her a confused look, she continued.

"When Aslan called me away, he took me to the Dancing Lawn and he gave me a Reflection Well, a well that showed my memories. Some memories I had forgotten," she smiled and looked at Caspian as she remembered the first memory of him. "Some memories I remembered too well. But it was the last memory in particular that changed everything." She briefly explained to them the memory she had of her conversation with the River God.

"And then he said, '…perhaps your mother was wrong. Perhaps you were not meant to restore Narnia… Perhaps you will find a way, yet, to bring about that peace.' It was then that everything sort of fell into place. I knew then, that had my mother not sent me to live with Dr. Cornelius then I would not be the person I am today. I would have never worked in the King's Castle; I would have never met you while trying to escape, and I would have never become such great friends with any of you.

"I would still be the Naiad Princess, but I would be fully nymph. I would have never known what it was like to love or to be loved. I was sent to live above the river for a purpose, and it was about time that I embraced that. I knew, that beyond all arguing in my head, the only thing I could do was follow my heart."

"So, my words held no sway over your decision?" Caspian asked.

Ava shook her head and smiled. "They were very sweet, Caspian, but I had made my decision before I ever awoke."

There was a small moment of silence before anyone spoke again, and when the silence was interrupted it was Reepicheep telling them that they had arrived at the end. Edmund and Caspian carefully rowed the boat over the breaking surf before landing it on a lone sand bar. Reepicheep was of course the first one to jump down, but he was quickly followed by the others. After Caspian stepped on shore he turned to help Ava out of the boat; he kept a hold of her hand as they all began to walk across the beach. In front of them was a towering wave that never crashed. Every so often they could catch a glimpse of land behind the wave, great mountains with waterfalls. No one spoke a word as they stood in awe before the wave.

Then, Eustace thought he heard a noise and so he looked over his right shoulder. It was the Great Lion again. "Aslan," he confirmed. Everyone turned around to see the Lion approaching them.

*"Welcome children. You have done well, very well indeed. You have come far, and now your journey is at its end."*

*"Is this your country?"* Lucy asked.

*"No, my country lies beyond."* Aslan looked to the wall of water. They followed his gaze, and once more they could see glimpses of a land beyond.

"Are my parents in your country?" Caspian asked.

*"You can only find that out for yourself, my son. But you should know that if you continue, there is no return."*

Caspian gazed upon the wave as a thousand thoughts rushed through his head. Should he go to find his mother and father? What would they think of him if he did? Would they be glad to see him? Would they be proud of him? Would they even be there? Caspian stared at the wave long and hard, but he did not move. He felt the warmth in his hand and he looked down to see it still grasped Ava's hand. He looked into her eyes. She would not tell him to go or stay; she would not give him the answers. She would only give her love. And that was all he needed.

"My place is here," Caspian said. "My place is with Ava, by her side as King with her as my Queen. I cannot *imagine that my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for.* I will no longer pine for what was taken from me, but I will cherish what I was given. *I was given a kingdom. A people.* A Queen."

Ava smiled and squeezed his hand gently; she was proud of his decision.

"And, Ava, this is what you have chosen as well?" Aslan asked.

"It is," Ava replied simply.

The Lion smiled. "Then you shall have a blessed union. Your descendents will reign until the end of days."

Reepicheep cleared his throat and scurried forward. He took off his circlet and bowed before the Great Lion. *"Your Eminence, ever since I can remember I have dreamt of seeing your country. I've had many great adventures in this world, but nothing has dampened that yearning. I know I am hardly worthy, but with your permission, I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your country with my own eyes."*

*"My country was made for noble hearts such as yours, no matter how small their bearers be."*

*"Your Majesty,"* Reepicheep said with another bow.

*"No one could be more deserving,"* Caspian replied.

Reepicheep was about to protest, but Edmund cut him off. *"It's true,"* he said before bowing to the mouse; Reepicheep bowed back.

"Princess," Reepicheep said as he turned to Ava. "My one regret is that I will not see you reign as Queen."

All Ava could do was smile and whisper her farewell as she wiped a tear from her cheek. Lucy, though, had more on her mind. She stepped forward with tears in her eyes and sat on her knees before Reepicheep. Then, with his permission, she scooped him up and hugged him to her chest. Next it was Eustace's turn to bid farewell; he too stepped forward with tears.

*"I don't understand. Will I not see you again? Ever?"* Eustace asked.

*"What a magnificent puzzle you are,"* Reepicheep mused. *"And a true hero. It has been my honor to fight beside such a brave warrior, and a great friend."*

Reepicheep and Eustace gave a short parting bow before Reepicheep scurried off towards the giant wave. A small coracle had appeared out of nowhere for him and, after sticking his sword in the sand, he climbed aboard. They all watched as Reepicheep rowed the coracle and floated up and over the wave.

"We have to leave now too, don't we?" Edmund asked.

"Yes," the Lion replied simply.

"And *this is our last time here, isn't it?*" Lucy asked tears still in her eyes.

*"Yes. You have grown up, my dear one, just like Peter and Susan."*

*"Will you visit us in our world?"*

*"I shall be watching you always."*

*"How?"*

*"In your world I have another name. You must learn to know me by it. That is the very reason you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."*

*"Will we meet again?"*

*"Mm. Yes dear one. One day."* Aslan then turned towards the wave and roared and a tunnel opened up.

Lucy turned to Ava, who was crying freely in Caspian's arms. Ava left his comforting embrace to embrace her friend. They hugged each other tightly as their tears fell. They knew there would be no reunion this time; they would not have the chance to meet again until they were both in Aslan's Country.

"This isn't the end of our friendship," Ava said through her sobs.

"Ours is one that will never end," Lucy replied, mirroring the words of their last departure.

While Lucy and Ava were saying their goodbyes, Caspian took the time to say good bye to Edmund and Eustace.

*"I want you to know, I think of you as my brother, Ed,"* Caspian said. *"You're the closest thing I have to family,"* he added as Lucy and Ava joined them. *"And that includes you Eustace."* Caspian said with a friendly pat on the shoulder.

*"Thank you,"* Eustace responded.

As Edmund and Caspian embraced, Ava said goodbye to Eustace with a friendly hug a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned to hug Edmund, and she could feel the tears begin anew.

"Take care of her, will you," Edmund instructed Caspian.

"With my life," Caspian replied as he wrapped a comforting arm around Ava's shoulder.

They said goodbye to each other one last time before Edmund and Lucy said their goodbyes to Aslan. Edmund bowed before the Lion and Lucy hugged his neck. They had all begun to walk way, when Eustace suddenly turned back around.

*"Will I come back?"* he asked.

*"Narnia may yet have need of you,"* Aslan replied.

Eustace nodded once before turning and joining his cousins at the edge of the tunnel. Ava had to turn her eyes away as they walked down the tunnel of water; she could not watch them leave. She buried her face into Caspian's chest. He held her close and kissed the top of her head as the tunnel closed and their friends left the world of Narnia.

"Be strong, Ava. We may see Eustace yet," Caspian whispered quietly. Ava nodded and smiled a teary smile up at him.

**End of Part 2**

* * *

><p><strong>So...? What do you think? Was it worth it? Did I make you all happy? Was it a surprise at all, or did you totally see that decision coming?<strong>

**I know there are a lot of direct quotes in this chapter (* for movie and ^ for book), but some lines were just too fantastic to leave out. I promise you though, in part three there will be hardly any direct quotes (except maybe towards the end when the Silver Chair plot line comes in).  
><strong>

**Wow! I just want to thank each and everyone of you who has journeyed on this voyage with me. Thank you so much for all of your reads, your reviews, your favorites, your alerts, and your support. I do hope that you will continue with me though; Ava may have chosen Caspian but their story isn't over yet. They have a long road ahead of them still.**

**The story of Ava and Caspian's love continues with part three The Naiad Queen. A summary and banner are already posted on my profile; check them out if you want to. (Also, there's a banner and a summary up for Finding Home, my next Narnia story after the trilogy, if you're interested *shameless plug*)  
><strong>

**Anyone up of a sneak peak of part three? If so I'll let you decide what peak you want. Just simply review or PM me including either the number 1 or the number 2 and I'll send you back the corresponding peak. You can choose only one peak though, so choose wisely (and neither peaks are of the beginning chapters). **

**Anyone else as excited as I am? Chapter 1 of part three will be posted on Monday, August 1.  
><strong>


End file.
